Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1387
2009-10-30 10:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMEN SECTION OF PIPELINE TO CHINA DELAYED
how-toVZCZCXRO4525 PP RUEHIK DE RUEHAH #1387 3031016 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 301016Z OCT 09 FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3670 INFO RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5824 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3532 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3394 RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 4066 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1221 RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 4035 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001387
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB; NEA/IR
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN SECTION OF PIPELINE TO CHINA DELAYED
REF: ASHGABAT 1071
UNCLAS ASHGABAT 001387
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB; NEA/IR
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN SECTION OF PIPELINE TO CHINA DELAYED
REF: ASHGABAT 1071
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) A number of international media outlets recently reported
that Turkmenistan had completed its section of the Turkmenistan -
Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan - China gas pipeline, which is better known
as the as Central Asia - China pipeline. In fact, these reports
were premature, since there remains a lot of work to be done on the
Turkmen section of the pipeline before it will be operational.
3. (SBU) The Turkmen section will be 188 kilometers long and will
take gas produced by the state-owned gas company Turkmengaz to the
Uzbek border. Stroytransgaz, a Russian company subcontracted by
Turkmengaz, handles construction of the Turkmen section of the
pipeline under a service contract. To date, Stroytransgaz still has
to complete major operations such as conducting pipeline leak tests,
laying pipeline into the trench, and constructing a pipeline
crossing under the Amu Darya River. The river crossing is the most
technically complicated portion of the Turkmen section and involves
careful drilling of at least two 50-meter holes (known as deviation
wells) to lay the pipeline beneath the riverbed. Stroytransgaz has
completed the drilling of only one of these deviation wells so far.
In addition, no information is available regarding the construction
status of a compressor station, which is an integral part of the
pipeline and is the responsibility of Belgian company Enex.
4. (SBU) Due to the amount of work left on the Turkmen section of
the Central Asia - China Pipeline, it is unlikely that the Turkmen
section will be ready by the end of December, the GOTX's target date
for completion. Even if some portions of the construction remain
incomplete by the target date, the Turkmen Government will most
likely announce that the pipeline has been completed and will
inaugurate it as planned. The GOTX will be able to proceed, despite
the remaining construction, because the volume of gas to be supplied
during 2010 will only be about 4-5 billion cubic meters. This
amount will come from the CNPC-operated Bagtyarlyk contractual
territory, located on the east bank of the Amu Darya River. As a
result, construction of the Turkmen section can continue until the
end of 2010 without disrupting initial supplies to China (reftel).
5. (SBU) COMMENT. The Turkmen Government is under tremendous
pressure to ensure the completion of the Central Asia-China pipeline
on time, especially since gas supplies to Russia have not resumed,
and Turkmenistan desperately needs China as a gas customer. So far,
the Chinese are ahead of schedule on their part of the pipeline, but
the Turkmen have a lot of ground to make up in order to finish their
section. Given the importance the GOTX placed on completing its
section on time, it seems probable that the Turkmen will put the
blame for any delays on Stroytransgaz and Enex. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB; NEA/IR
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EPET PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMEN SECTION OF PIPELINE TO CHINA DELAYED
REF: ASHGABAT 1071
1. (U) Sensitive but unclassified. Not for public Internet.
2. (SBU) A number of international media outlets recently reported
that Turkmenistan had completed its section of the Turkmenistan -
Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan - China gas pipeline, which is better known
as the as Central Asia - China pipeline. In fact, these reports
were premature, since there remains a lot of work to be done on the
Turkmen section of the pipeline before it will be operational.
3. (SBU) The Turkmen section will be 188 kilometers long and will
take gas produced by the state-owned gas company Turkmengaz to the
Uzbek border. Stroytransgaz, a Russian company subcontracted by
Turkmengaz, handles construction of the Turkmen section of the
pipeline under a service contract. To date, Stroytransgaz still has
to complete major operations such as conducting pipeline leak tests,
laying pipeline into the trench, and constructing a pipeline
crossing under the Amu Darya River. The river crossing is the most
technically complicated portion of the Turkmen section and involves
careful drilling of at least two 50-meter holes (known as deviation
wells) to lay the pipeline beneath the riverbed. Stroytransgaz has
completed the drilling of only one of these deviation wells so far.
In addition, no information is available regarding the construction
status of a compressor station, which is an integral part of the
pipeline and is the responsibility of Belgian company Enex.
4. (SBU) Due to the amount of work left on the Turkmen section of
the Central Asia - China Pipeline, it is unlikely that the Turkmen
section will be ready by the end of December, the GOTX's target date
for completion. Even if some portions of the construction remain
incomplete by the target date, the Turkmen Government will most
likely announce that the pipeline has been completed and will
inaugurate it as planned. The GOTX will be able to proceed, despite
the remaining construction, because the volume of gas to be supplied
during 2010 will only be about 4-5 billion cubic meters. This
amount will come from the CNPC-operated Bagtyarlyk contractual
territory, located on the east bank of the Amu Darya River. As a
result, construction of the Turkmen section can continue until the
end of 2010 without disrupting initial supplies to China (reftel).
5. (SBU) COMMENT. The Turkmen Government is under tremendous
pressure to ensure the completion of the Central Asia-China pipeline
on time, especially since gas supplies to Russia have not resumed,
and Turkmenistan desperately needs China as a gas customer. So far,
the Chinese are ahead of schedule on their part of the pipeline, but
the Turkmen have a lot of ground to make up in order to finish their
section. Given the importance the GOTX placed on completing its
section on time, it seems probable that the Turkmen will put the
blame for any delays on Stroytransgaz and Enex. END COMMENT.
CURRAN