Armel Simondin, CEO of the independent European private oil and gas company Perenco, and Guvanch Agajanov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, discussed cooperation in the oil and gas sector during a meeting in Ashgabat. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the international conference and exhibition "Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan" (OGT 2026).

"We discussed issues of cooperation and partnership that could be implemented for our mutual benefit—specifically, for the development of Turkmenistan’s oil and gas resources. We are currently evaluating these opportunities. We are at the very beginning of the negotiations, but I am confident," Simonden said in an interview with Turkmenportal.

The head of Perenco specified that the purpose of his visit to Ashgabat is to explore the possibility of applying the company’s accumulated expertise for the benefit of the local oil and gas industry.

"We have been working in this industry for 30 years. Over this time, we have developed specialized expertise: the optimization of mature fields and the development of small-scale fields." "We have come here to explore opportunities to apply our expertise for the benefit of Turkmenistan’s oil and gas sector. We view Turkmenistan as a stable investment environment, which means there are opportunities here for mutually beneficial cooperation," he added.

This is the first visit to Turkmenistan for the head of Perenco. "Turkmen hospitality is remarkable, and Ashgabat is a magnificent city," noted Simonden. He also thanked the Deputy Prime Minister and the conference organizers for the opportunity to hold meetings.

Simonden also addressed the investment climate in Turkmenistan. According to him, the country’s government is interested in attracting investment and guarantees the stability of contractual terms—a factor of critical importance for oil and gas projects that opens up prospects for a long-term partnership with the Turkmen side.

Perenco is the largest independent, privately held European oil and gas company, with headquarters in London and Paris. According to the company, it operates in 12 countries and employs approximately 8,5 thousand people. Production volume and assets in operation amount to approximately 500 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day. The company specializes in mature fields, operates on the shallow-water shelf, and develops gas projects utilizing floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facilities.