Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08ASHGABAT572
2008-05-06 09:25:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: CADDO EXPLORATION LOOKS TO LONG TERM
how-toVZCZCXRO6178 PP RUEHAG RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW RUEHROV DE RUEHAH #0572 1270925 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 060925Z MAY 08 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0749 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0318 RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3734 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1552 RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 0119 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 1419 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL PRIORITY 1988 RHMFISS/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000572
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2018
TAGS: ECON EPET PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CADDO EXPLORATION LOOKS TO LONG TERM
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran for reasons 1.4(B) an
d (D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 000572
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2018
TAGS: ECON EPET PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CADDO EXPLORATION LOOKS TO LONG TERM
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran for reasons 1.4(B) an
d (D).
1. (C) Houston-based Caddo Exploration is looking at
becoming involved in Turkmenistan's hydrocarbon production,
according to the company's president, Neel Duncan. Although
Caddo is "willing to drill almost anywhere" in the
short-term, the company really wants to become involved in
on-shore production, if/when Turkmenistan's leadership is
ready to reverse its ban on foreign activity work on-shore.
Duncan expressed a willingness to produce oil for Russia,
China or any other country. For now, Caddo is "helping out"
with a drilling project south of Balkanabat in an effort to
build goodwill.
2. (U) Caddo, established in 2007, states that its primary
objective is to acquire oil and gas licenses with minimal or
no proven reserves and then to explore and develop the
fields. Both the CEO, Christopher Saye, and Duncan have
extensive experience in the CIS -- Saye worked with Arthur
Andersen's oil and gas division prior to moving to Russia,
while Duncan previously worked for TNK before it merged with
BP.
3. (C) COMMENT: The field of companies positioning
themselves to work on-shore has continued to increase since
Chevron submitted a serious bid on March 11. ExxonMobil is
now moving forward with a serious push for a contract, TNK-BP
has told us it wants to work onshore, and Shell is widely
rumored to be working on a proposal as well. Caddo is
clearly holding back in hopes that either the government will
drag its feet long enough that the major oil companies will
lose interest. In either case, however, we are hearing
western companies say with increasing certainty that, despite
Deputy Premier Tagiyev's assertions that Turkmenistan can
deliver the production increases that it needs to fund the
president's increasingly expensive development programs on
its own, Turkmenistan needs help, and it is just a matter of
time before that recognition reaches the presidential level.
END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EEB
PLEASE PASS TO USTDA DAN STEIN
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/THOMPSON
COMMERCE FOR HUEPER
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/05/2018
TAGS: ECON EPET PREL TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CADDO EXPLORATION LOOKS TO LONG TERM
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia R. Curran for reasons 1.4(B) an
d (D).
1. (C) Houston-based Caddo Exploration is looking at
becoming involved in Turkmenistan's hydrocarbon production,
according to the company's president, Neel Duncan. Although
Caddo is "willing to drill almost anywhere" in the
short-term, the company really wants to become involved in
on-shore production, if/when Turkmenistan's leadership is
ready to reverse its ban on foreign activity work on-shore.
Duncan expressed a willingness to produce oil for Russia,
China or any other country. For now, Caddo is "helping out"
with a drilling project south of Balkanabat in an effort to
build goodwill.
2. (U) Caddo, established in 2007, states that its primary
objective is to acquire oil and gas licenses with minimal or
no proven reserves and then to explore and develop the
fields. Both the CEO, Christopher Saye, and Duncan have
extensive experience in the CIS -- Saye worked with Arthur
Andersen's oil and gas division prior to moving to Russia,
while Duncan previously worked for TNK before it merged with
BP.
3. (C) COMMENT: The field of companies positioning
themselves to work on-shore has continued to increase since
Chevron submitted a serious bid on March 11. ExxonMobil is
now moving forward with a serious push for a contract, TNK-BP
has told us it wants to work onshore, and Shell is widely
rumored to be working on a proposal as well. Caddo is
clearly holding back in hopes that either the government will
drag its feet long enough that the major oil companies will
lose interest. In either case, however, we are hearing
western companies say with increasing certainty that, despite
Deputy Premier Tagiyev's assertions that Turkmenistan can
deliver the production increases that it needs to fund the
president's increasingly expensive development programs on
its own, Turkmenistan needs help, and it is just a matter of
time before that recognition reaches the presidential level.
END COMMENT.
CURRAN