The 26th Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan International Conference kicked off on Wednesday at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry building in Ashgabat. The conference’s current edition is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the country's independence.

The event is organized by the Türkmengaz (Turkmen Gas) and Türkmennebit (Turkmen Oil) state concerns, Türkmengeologiýa (Turkmen Geology) State Corporation in partnership with the Turkmen Forum and the UK-based GaffneyCline.

This year’s conference, held annually with the aim of developing and strengthening international partnerships between state organizations of Turkmenistan and international oil and gas companies, gathered more than 140 participants. Due to international travel restrictions, the event is also held in an online format.

The message of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the participants of the investment forum was presented by the wise-premier Shahym Abdrahmanov before the start of the plenary session.

“I cordially congratulate on the start of the Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan International Conference held in our beautiful capital for the twenty-sixth time! I wish you great success in your work on the development of the oil and gas industry of our state!”, President Berdimuhamedov said in his address.

The plenary session was moderated by the Asian Development Bank’s Country Director for Turkmenistan Chang Ching Yu. The session featured the online speeches of CNPC President Hou Qijun, OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General of the Energy Charter Secretariat Urban Rusnak, Chairman of the Global Gas Center Rene Bautz, IEA Chief Energy Economist Tim Gould, and video messages from UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan Dmitry Shlapachenko and CEO of SOCAR Trading Mariam Almaszade.

In his speech, OPEC Secretary General Mohammad Sanusi Barkindo said the Organization is ready to strengthen relations with Turkmenistan on a number of issues of mutual interest, primarily in the field of ensuring sustainable stability in the international oil market.

In turn, the SOCAR Trading CEO noted in her video message that Turkmenistan is endowed with large reserves of natural gas and significant oil resources and continues to invest significant funds in infrastructure for exporting these resources. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan need to maintain the level of investment in order to support their leading positions in the market, and in this regard, it is difficult to overestimate the potential of the proposed Trans-Caspian gas pipeline, which will connect the two countries with Europe, Mariam Almaszade said in her message.

The novelty of this year's conference will be a direct link to Expo 2020 Dubai for Session 4: Natural gas and alternative energy sources – key resources in the transition to a low carbon future, which will be held tomorrow both at the venue of the conference in Ashgabat and at the Turkmen National Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Business Turkmenistan