TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON REGISTRATION NEARLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001354 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF, THOMPSON COMMERCE FOR HUEPER E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/14/2018 TAGS: ECON EPET ETRD TX SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON REGISTRATION NEARLY COMPLETED Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) The registration for Chevron's office in Turkmenistan is nearly done and should be completed by the end of the month, the company's Amcit country manager told Charge October 10. Registration officials informed Chevron that its preliminary registration certificate would be ready within a few days. Then, the Ministry of Internal Affairs had up to ten days to approve the design of the company's official stamp. The final step would involve taking the approved stamp design to the registration agency, which would then present Chevron with the final registration certificate. Once registered, Chevron's expat employees can apply for one-year multiple entry visas for themselves and for family members. Currently, because the company is not registered in Turkmenistan, they can only receive 30-day visas and must exit the country monthly. ¶2. (C) Chevron still remains hopeful about its proposal to work onshore. In the meantime, it has several projects in the works designed to build relationships with Turkmen officials. The Amcit country manager said he had sent a letter to State Agency for the Management and Use of Hydrocarbon Resources Director Yagshygeldi Kakayev, requesting the nomination of 30 participants to attend a two-day workshop on carbonate reservoirs, drilling in salt environments, and operations in high-pressure, high-temperature, and high H2S environments. Experts from the United States will deliver presentations and lead the discussion. The Amcit country manager said Chevron is preparing another workshop on project management that he hoped to deliver to Turkmen Gas head Baymurat Hojamuhammedov. The Chevron country manager hoped Hojamuhammedov would see the value of working with a company with decades of experience. ¶3. (C) COMMENT: Registration will make it much easier for Chevron to function in Turkmenistan and bring in experts. Turkmenistan's visa regime and red tape are some of the biggest obstacles to foreign businesses interested in working in and investing in the country. END COMMENT. CURRAN