Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09ASHGABAT1504
2009-11-24 13:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Ashgabat
Cable title:
TURKMENISTAN: CONOCOPHILLIPS STILL PURSUING
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C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001504
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB;
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2019
TAGS: EPET ECON PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CONOCOPHILLIPS STILL PURSUING
OFFSHORE BLOCKS
REF: ASHGABAT 1318
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ASHGABAT 001504
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB;
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2019
TAGS: EPET ECON PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CONOCOPHILLIPS STILL PURSUING
OFFSHORE BLOCKS
REF: ASHGABAT 1318
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
1. (C) On November 17, ConocoPhillips representatives
visiting Ashgabat to attend the Turkmenistan International
Oil and Gas Exhibition briefed poloff on the status of the
company's efforts to develop Turkmenistan's Blocks 19 and 20
in the Caspian. The company reps shared that they could not
always be certain where they were in the process of closing a
deal with the Turkmen government. Having listened to advice
in the past about the importance of establishing an
expatriate company presence in Ashgabat in order to show the
company's serious intentions, the reps noted that they had
not seen a lot of results for those companies that had opened
local offices. In the past, ConocoPhillips accepted that
onshore projects were off limits to foreign companies, due to
Turkmen government policy, hence the company's interest in
offshore blocks. However, if the opportunity arose, the
ConocoPhillips reps said the company would be interested in
onshore projects as well.
2. (C) On the subject of the company's efforts to negotiate
for the offshore blocks, the reps said it seemed like the
company had been working on it "forever." At times, a deal
seemed close, at other times, far away. They were told by a
Turkmen energy sector official that BP is their competition
for Blocks 19 and 20. Their earlier partnership with Lukoil,
now broken off (reftel),had clearly been a problem in
concluding a deal, according to the ConocoPhillips reps.
They were not sure why the Turkmen would not deal with
Lukoil, suggesting that perhaps Lukoil President Vagit
Alekperov's Azeri roots were a factor. In any case, the
problem was not Lukoil's Russian nationality, since Russian
firm Itera was awarded the block that Lukoil sought.
3. (C) If ConocoPhillips eventually produces gas in the
Turkmen Caspian blocks, the reps thought it most likely that
the gas would be shipped north, although a China partner
would also make sense because the Chinese market is
"insatiable." The company reps had heard that Turkmen-Kazakh
relations had soured over a land border dispute and wondered
if ConocoPhillips' extensive activity in Kazakhstan might
lead the Turkmen to look unfavorably at the company.
4. (C) COMMENT: All along, ConocoPhillips has taken the
Turkmen at their word about the ban on onshore production
agreements and has pursued offshore blocks, so far to no
result. Instead of knowing where the company stands based on
substantive responses to its proposals, company reps are
forced to guess at the impact of factors such as having a
local office, the nationality of their partner company's
president, and the rumor of a Turkmen-Kazakh border dispute
on their chances of landing a deal. Despite the
difficulties, the reps gave no indication that ConocoPhillips
was considering giving up. END COMMENT.
CURRAN
SIPDIS
STATE FOR SCA/CEN; EEB;
ENERGY FOR EKIMOFF/BURPOE/COHEN
COMMERCE FOR EHOUSE
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/24/2019
TAGS: EPET ECON PGOV EINV BTIO TX
SUBJECT: TURKMENISTAN: CONOCOPHILLIPS STILL PURSUING
OFFSHORE BLOCKS
REF: ASHGABAT 1318
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Sylvia Reed Curran, Reasons 1.4 (b) an
d (d).
1. (C) On November 17, ConocoPhillips representatives
visiting Ashgabat to attend the Turkmenistan International
Oil and Gas Exhibition briefed poloff on the status of the
company's efforts to develop Turkmenistan's Blocks 19 and 20
in the Caspian. The company reps shared that they could not
always be certain where they were in the process of closing a
deal with the Turkmen government. Having listened to advice
in the past about the importance of establishing an
expatriate company presence in Ashgabat in order to show the
company's serious intentions, the reps noted that they had
not seen a lot of results for those companies that had opened
local offices. In the past, ConocoPhillips accepted that
onshore projects were off limits to foreign companies, due to
Turkmen government policy, hence the company's interest in
offshore blocks. However, if the opportunity arose, the
ConocoPhillips reps said the company would be interested in
onshore projects as well.
2. (C) On the subject of the company's efforts to negotiate
for the offshore blocks, the reps said it seemed like the
company had been working on it "forever." At times, a deal
seemed close, at other times, far away. They were told by a
Turkmen energy sector official that BP is their competition
for Blocks 19 and 20. Their earlier partnership with Lukoil,
now broken off (reftel),had clearly been a problem in
concluding a deal, according to the ConocoPhillips reps.
They were not sure why the Turkmen would not deal with
Lukoil, suggesting that perhaps Lukoil President Vagit
Alekperov's Azeri roots were a factor. In any case, the
problem was not Lukoil's Russian nationality, since Russian
firm Itera was awarded the block that Lukoil sought.
3. (C) If ConocoPhillips eventually produces gas in the
Turkmen Caspian blocks, the reps thought it most likely that
the gas would be shipped north, although a China partner
would also make sense because the Chinese market is
"insatiable." The company reps had heard that Turkmen-Kazakh
relations had soured over a land border dispute and wondered
if ConocoPhillips' extensive activity in Kazakhstan might
lead the Turkmen to look unfavorably at the company.
4. (C) COMMENT: All along, ConocoPhillips has taken the
Turkmen at their word about the ban on onshore production
agreements and has pursued offshore blocks, so far to no
result. Instead of knowing where the company stands based on
substantive responses to its proposals, company reps are
forced to guess at the impact of factors such as having a
local office, the nationality of their partner company's
president, and the rumor of a Turkmen-Kazakh border dispute
on their chances of landing a deal. Despite the
difficulties, the reps gave no indication that ConocoPhillips
was considering giving up. END COMMENT.
CURRAN