The 31st International Conference and Exhibition "Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan – 2026" (OGT 2026) has opened in the capital. The forum began with a plenary session titled "Turkmenistan’s Energy Strategy: Regional Connectivity and International Cooperation." The event will run until October 23 and will bring together representatives from government agencies, national and international oil and gas companies, EPC contractors, technology providers, financial institutions, and investors.

The discussion features Deputy Prime Minister Guvanch Agajanov, Malaysia’s Minister of Economy Akmal Nasrullah bin Mohd Nasir, UN Resident Coordinator in Turkmenistan Xiaojun Grace Wang, SOCAR President Rovshan Najaf, PETRONAS Executive Vice President Mohd Jukris Abdul Wahab, XRG (ADNOC) Senior Vice President Abdulla Al Shamsi, and Dragon Oil CEO Abdulkarim Al-Maazmi. The session was moderated by John Defterios of APCO Worldwide.

The organizers describe the event as Turkmenistan’s key energy platform and one of the most authoritative industry events in Eurasia. Last year’s forum brought together more than 1 400 delegates from 70 countries. This year, the focus is on investment-attractive projects, effective financing mechanisms, and the formation of strategic partnerships across the entire energy value chain.

One of the central themes will be the diversification of gas export routes, including the implementation of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline project. The program also highlights the phased development of the “Galkynysh” field—one of the largest in the world—and the advancement of deep hydrocarbon processing, with modern gas-chemical complexes being brought into operation across the country.

Participants will be presented with investment opportunities in onshore and offshore projects—including those in the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea—as well as in enhanced oil recovery at mature fields and the modernization of the Turkmenbashy oil processing complex and the Seydi oil refinery. A separate segment will be dedicated to solar and wind energy.

Environmental protection issues occupy a significant place on the agenda: reducing methane emissions, improving energy efficiency, developing renewable energy sources, and fostering international environmental cooperation.

Earlier, on the occasion of the forum’s opening, President Serdar Berdimuhamedov sent a congratulatory message to its participants and guests.