Ukrainian expert: Turkmen gas supply to China will influence prices

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The Turkmen gas supply to the Chinese will in no way affect the volumes of supply to Europe and to Ukraine, as the gas would be brought from different fields, but it could implicitly influence the price growth, Alexander Narbut, a Ukrainian expert in energy issues said in comment to a Regnum correspondent in Kiev.

Besides, the expert noted that the influence on the price of supply is expected in the future only, as far as, according to existing arrangements, the gas prices for the Chinese do exceed the prices of the Turkmen gas supplied to Russia. At the same time, according to him, the gas supply would provide “great” investments to the Turkmen production, because the Chinese are quite actively engaged in the project. “In the early years, the supply will be low with further increases, that will occur parallel to the development of the eastern fields,” Alexander Narbut said.

It is worth mentioning, the president of Turkmenistan believes the Turkmen gas transportation will begin from the right bank of the Amu Darya through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to China as early as in 2009. According to foreign experts’ estimation, current gas reserves of Turkmenistan are 24.6 trillions cbm. The production of oil and gas overland and in the sea has been developing in the country. Recently, new perspective oil and gas fields were discovered — South Iolotan, Osman, Yashlar and Gurrukbil-Garabil.