A new gas compressor station with a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year was launched today by Turkmenistan at the Malay field, located in the south of the Karakum desert, about 70 kilometers from Turkmenabat, the administrative center of the country's eastern region. The opening ceremony was attended by President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, who arrived at the scene by helicopter, the State News Agency of Turkmenistan reports.

Having cut the symbolic ribbon to the applause of those present, the head of Turkmenistan addressed the audience with a welcoming speech, in which he noted:

“The Malay field, located in the Lebap velayat, has been producing natural gas for many years, namely since 1986. This complex provides “blue fuel” not only to settlements in the eastern region of the country and other facilities, but also supplies marketable products for the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-China transnational gas pipeline through the Malay-Bagtyyarlyk gas pipeline with a length of 188 kilometers”.

Berdymuhamedov also stressed:

“The new facility being commissioned is of great importance for increasing the productivity of wells, for a more complete use of the natural gas reserves of the field.”

Currently, gas coming from Central Asia is supplied to 25 provinces and autonomous regions of the People’s Republic of China, as well as to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which means that almost 500 million people use it.

The main supplier of “blue fuel” to the transnational highway is the State Concern “Turkmengas”. The second major source of environmentally friendly raw materials is the Bagtyyarlyk contract area, which is being developed by the Amu Darya Gas Company of the Chinese National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) in accordance with the Production Sharing Agreement signed in 2007.

As President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov was reported, the Chinese partners have carried out a large amount of exploration and drilling work related to the search, assessment of reserves and industrial development of hydrocarbon deposits on the right bank of the Amu Darya. More than 20 fields with significant reserves of natural gas and gas condensate have been identified here.

Two gas processing plants with a total capacity of 14 billion cubic meters of commercial gas per year have been built at the Samandepe field and in the Hojambas etrap, as well as other production, logistics and social infrastructure facilities.

In 2014, key technologies used for the exploration and development of large deposits on the right bank of the Amu Darya River were awarded the National Prize of the People's Republic of China in the field of scientific and technological progress. And the project for the construction of the Central Asia-China gas pipeline has received more than 10 industry and national awards, including the Zhan Tianyou award, the most prestigious award of the People's Republic of China in the field of civil engineering, science and technology.

It should also be noted that Bagtyyarlyk was the first overseas project where PetroChina built a digital gas field platform, which today includes more than 125 production wells.

In total, more than 336 billion cubic meters of natural gas have been exported to China from Central Asia since the pipeline was put into operation as of early January this year. At the same time, Turkmenistan provided 85 percent of the “blue fuel” supplies.

Thanking the representatives of the PRC for the great work being done, the head of state noted that Turkmenistan is always open for long-term mutually beneficial cooperation with foreign oil and gas companies.

The climax is coming. Pressing the “start” command on the touch panel, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, to the applause of the audience, launches a gas compressor station.

The new station, covering an area of about 12 hectares, consists of two workshops – “A” and “B”. The first task is to fully develop the Malay field. The second workshop is designed for high pressure pumping of gas from the Galkynysh and Dovletabat fields into the Malay-Bagtyyarlyk gas pipeline.

On the technological scheme, which at this time is shown on a large monitor installed in the hall, an indicator lights up, signaling that the commercial gas coming from here has reached the main gas pipeline system.

This project was implemented by the State Concern “Turkmengas” together with the company Petro Gas LLP (Great Britain). Gas compressor equipment was supplied by Dresser-Rand S.A (France).

The capacity of each unit, designed to pump 45 million cubic meters of gas per day, is 32 MW. During the opening ceremony, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov noted that Turkmen specialists took part in the construction of the compressor station, who completed more than 80 percent of all construction and installation works.

Then the leader of the nation in memory of today's event left an entry in the Book of Honorary Guests.

Having wished the employees of the complex of success in their work, the head of state handed over the keys to the new cars.

At the end of the celebration, having warmly said goodbye to the audience, the President of Turkmenistan flew by helicopter to the Turkmenabat airport, from where he left for Ashgabat.