First international gas congress opens in Turkmenistan.

ASHGABAT, April 14 (Itar-Tass) - The first international gas congress
opens in Turkmenistan on Wednesday.
It will bring together representatives of 400 foreign companies from
32 countries, experts of international organizations and energy ministers,
who will discuss prospects for cooperation in gas exploration, development
and transportation to the world markets.
The congress will focus on Turkmenistan's growing role in the world
gas industry. The republic's gas reserves grew from 4 trillion to 14
trillion cubic meters, which was confirmed by an independent audit of
global gas reserves in 2008. In 2009 the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline
with the annual throughput capacity of 40 billion cubic meters was
launched. In 2010 a second gas pipeline to Iran was commissioned, which
increased gas exports to the neighbouring country to 20 billion cubic
meters a year.
Undoubtedly all this made Turkmenistan attractive for foreign
partners, which is confirmed by this high-level forum. The European Energy
Commissioner, representatives of the International Energy Agency and
energy ministries of Russia, the U.S., Turkey, Bulgaria, Iraq, Azerbaijan,
Georgia, the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan will define their vision
for stronger partnership with the Central Asian Republic.

-0-isk/gor