ECONOMY
BAKU HOSTS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON OIL AND GAS POTENTIAL OF AZERBAIJAN AND TURKMENISTAN
The international conference “Oil and gas potential of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan: energy, economy, ecology. Strategic cooperation” started Tuesday at the Gulustan palace in Baku.
Prior to the start of the event initiated by the presidents of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, its participants viewed an exhibition dedicated to the two countries` achievements in oil and gas sector.
The conference was opened by Azerbaijan`s first deputy prime minister Yagub Eyyubov.
He said along with oil Azerbaijan has already become a large gas producer, and that the country`s gas reserves are estimated at 2 trillion cubic meters. Eyyubov said this year Azerbaijan will produce about 50 million tons of oil and 28 billion cubic meters of gas.
“This allows us to become an important player in ensuring energy security in the region.”
The deputy premier said both Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan are keen to enhance their economic relations.
Eyyubov said the two countries should make joint efforts towards implementing large scale oil and gas projects in the Caspian region.
Turkish minister of energy and natural resources Hilmi Guler expressed confidence Nabucco and Kirkuk-Yumurtalig projects will repeat the success of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas projects.
According to the Turkish minister, his country plans to invest over 125 billion dollars in energy projects till 2020.
U.S. President`s Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy, Ambassador Boyden Gray said the United States is ready to make every possible effort to help Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan implement their joint projects. Gray also stressed the region is of huge importance to Europe.
Afterwards the conference continued with panel discussions on “Global trends in the development of the global energy”, “Estimation of natural oil and gas resources of Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan”, and “Problems in and prospects for development of hydrocarbons”.
The participants heard reports by oil and gas exports from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Greece.
The first day of the conference ended with an official reception in honor of its participants.
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