Turkmenistan accuses "Gazprom" of distorting country's gas reserves

Turkmen Foreign Ministry claimes that the Russian JSC "Gazprom" distorts data on Turkmenistan's natural resource potential, Trend reports.

"TV channel "Rossia" broadcasted an interview with the Deputy Chairman of JSC "Gazprom" Alexander Medvedev, who actually questioned official reports on natural gas reserves in Turkmenistan," Turkmen Embassy in Azerbaijan said.

Turkmen Foreign Ministry said that such statement made by "Gazprom" representative is "extremely wrong and disrespectful towards partners of cooperation in the energy sector." "The fact that such a biased assessment is voiced by a professional causes particular confusion," the report says.

In this regard, the Turkmen side stresses that the representatives of the international company "Gaffney, Cline & Associates" (UK) presented the results of the second phase of independent audit of reserves of Turkmenistan's major gas fields - South Yoloten-Osman, Minara, Yashlar in Ashgabat on Oct. 11, 2011. According to this report, geological reserves of zone of the above-mentioned gas fields are confirmed at the maximum volume of 26,200 trillion cubic meters of gas, which makes it second in the world.