Today in the afternoon in the building of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Turkmenistan the XXVI International Conference «Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan -2021», dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the independence of Turkmenistan, began work.  The organizers of this prestigious forum are the State Concerns «Turkmengas» and «Turkmennebit», as well as the State Corporation «Turkmengeology» in partnership with the ES «Turkmen Forum» with the support of the British company GaffneyCline.

 For the second year in a row, the annual conference in Turkmenistan is being held in a hybrid format – both in the traditional and online mode due to restrictions on international travel due to the pandemic.  Therefore, only online representatives of about 100 companies, international organizations and major banks from 32 states participate in the forum, which confirms the high interest of the international community in the development of mutually beneficial partnerships in the oil and gas sector with Turkmenistan.

 In general, the conference will bring together representatives of more than 150 international companies, including such energy giants as CNPC, PETRONAS, LUKOIL, DRAGON OIL, SOCAR, ARETI International Group, Yug-Neftegaz Private Limited, as well as heads of energy organizations, delegates of large international financial institutions.  Over 400 people are taking part in the conference.

 At the very beginning of the forum, Vice-Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan Shakhym Abdrakhmanov read out the official Greeting of the President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the participants of the conference.

 This was followed by a plenary session on the future of the global energy system.  In this part, the State Minister, Chairman of the SC «Turkmengas» Batyr Amanov made a keynote speech.  The Secretary General of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries Sanusi Barkindo, Secretary General of the European Energy Charter Secretariat Urban Rusnak, Chief Energy Economist of the International Energy Center Tim Gould, CNPC President Hou Qijun, Executive Director of Socar Trading SA Maryam Almaszade will speak online today.

 The program of the two-day forum includes presentations and panel sessions with the participation of the leadership of national oil and gas companies, as well as the heads of leading international oil companies, large international organizations and financial institutions.

 As part of a separate session, the conference participants will today discuss investment opportunities in the oil and gas sector and hear an overview of onshore investment projects.

 The next day, a novelty of the forum will be a teleconference with the participants of the EXPO-2020 World Exhibition held in Dubai (UAE), during which it is planned to discuss the prospects for using natural gas and alternative energy sources within the framework of the transition to low-carbon energy.

 Business meetings of heads of foreign and Turkmen oil and gas companies will also take place online.