Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1353
2009-10-23 14:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON REPORTS SOME GOOD NEWS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001353
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB; NEA/IR
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2019
TAGS: EPET ECON PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON REPORTS SOME GOOD NEWS
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1318
B. ASHGABAT 1253
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001353
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB; NEA/IR
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2019
TAGS: EPET ECON PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON REPORTS SOME GOOD NEWS
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1318
B. ASHGABAT 1253
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Chevron's representative in Ashgabat met with Charge
on October 23 to convey some good news the company had
received from the GOTX. Specifically, Chevron received a
positive letter from Turkmenistan's state-owned gas company
Turkmengas in response to Chevron's request to discuss its
onshore proposals. Previously, the Chevron rep had shared
his frustration with the Charge that Chevron's business
proposals had gained little traction with the GOTX over the
past two years, and the company's recent meeting with the
Turkmen President in New York seemed to produce little (ref
B).
2. (C) In the letter, the newly appointed head of Turkmengas
Nury Muhamedov described Turkmengas's "sincere wish to
establish a partnership and develop long-term, mutually
beneficial cooperation between Turkmengas and Chevron. The
Turkmengas head also penned his willingness to discuss
"priority tasks in developing Turkmen gas resources" with the
participation of Chevron. The Chevron rep opined that the
letter represents a key turning point for Chevron, and he
hoped that Turkmengas and Chevron would "finally get down to
business," underscoring that Chevron was the first major,
U.S. energy company to open an office in Ashgabat.
3. (C) Chevron's Vice President for Business Development
accepted Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov's personal
invitation to attend Turkmen Independence Day festivities in
Ashgabat October 27-28 (ref B). The Chevron rep added that
the Chevron VP has planned meetings with the Turkmen
President, Deputy Chairman for Oil and Gas Hojamuhammedov,
Head of the State Agency for the Management and Use of
Hydrocarbon Resources Kakayev, Turkmengas Chairman
Muhamedov, and newly appointed Minister of Oil and Gas
Numuradov. The Chevron rep was grateful that Chevron had
apparently gotten on the GOTX's short list of preferred
energy companies, but he also took the positive signals with
caution, adding that Chevron had received positive signals
from the GOTX in the past that did not result in striking a
deal.
4. (C) COMMENT. Chevron's good news comes on the heels of
other good news reported by ConocoPhillips this week (ref A).
Although we cannot assume that the latest good news will
result in concrete energy deals for U.S. companies, the
recent GOTX overtures to ConocoPhillips and Chevron do not
seem coincidental. It is possible that the Turkmen
President's recent trip to the U.S. for the UN General
Assembly meetings left a positive impression on the
President, which in turn has resulted in more GOTX attention
for U.S. companies. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB; NEA/IR
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/23/2019
TAGS: EPET ECON PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CHEVRON REPORTS SOME GOOD NEWS
REF: A. ASHGABAT 1318
B. ASHGABAT 1253
Classified By: Charge Sylvia Reed Curran for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Chevron's representative in Ashgabat met with Charge
on October 23 to convey some good news the company had
received from the GOTX. Specifically, Chevron received a
positive letter from Turkmenistan's state-owned gas company
Turkmengas in response to Chevron's request to discuss its
onshore proposals. Previously, the Chevron rep had shared
his frustration with the Charge that Chevron's business
proposals had gained little traction with the GOTX over the
past two years, and the company's recent meeting with the
Turkmen President in New York seemed to produce little (ref
B).
2. (C) In the letter, the newly appointed head of Turkmengas
Nury Muhamedov described Turkmengas's "sincere wish to
establish a partnership and develop long-term, mutually
beneficial cooperation between Turkmengas and Chevron. The
Turkmengas head also penned his willingness to discuss
"priority tasks in developing Turkmen gas resources" with the
participation of Chevron. The Chevron rep opined that the
letter represents a key turning point for Chevron, and he
hoped that Turkmengas and Chevron would "finally get down to
business," underscoring that Chevron was the first major,
U.S. energy company to open an office in Ashgabat.
3. (C) Chevron's Vice President for Business Development
accepted Turkmen President Berdimuhamedov's personal
invitation to attend Turkmen Independence Day festivities in
Ashgabat October 27-28 (ref B). The Chevron rep added that
the Chevron VP has planned meetings with the Turkmen
President, Deputy Chairman for Oil and Gas Hojamuhammedov,
Head of the State Agency for the Management and Use of
Hydrocarbon Resources Kakayev, Turkmengas Chairman
Muhamedov, and newly appointed Minister of Oil and Gas
Numuradov. The Chevron rep was grateful that Chevron had
apparently gotten on the GOTX's short list of preferred
energy companies, but he also took the positive signals with
caution, adding that Chevron had received positive signals
from the GOTX in the past that did not result in striking a
deal.
4. (C) COMMENT. Chevron's good news comes on the heels of
other good news reported by ConocoPhillips this week (ref A).
Although we cannot assume that the latest good news will
result in concrete energy deals for U.S. companies, the
recent GOTX overtures to ConocoPhillips and Chevron do not
seem coincidental. It is possible that the Turkmen
President's recent trip to the U.S. for the UN General
Assembly meetings left a positive impression on the
President, which in turn has resulted in more GOTX attention
for U.S. companies. END COMMENT.
CURRAN