Turkmenistan’s largest gas field, Galkynysh, is on the cusp of new development phases. At the TEIF 2025 International Investment Forum in Kuala Lumpur, Ms. Irina Luryeva, Head of the Laboratory for the “Development of the Galkynysh Gas Field and International Gas Pipelines,” shared insights into the current status and future prospects of harnessing this massive resource.
In collaboration with GaffneyCline, predictive calculations have been developed, outlining seven phases of the field’s development. According to Luryeva, each phase is designed to ensure stable gas production for over 30 years. Currently, the first phase is under pilot commercial operation, with 52 production wells already in use and 10 additional wells being actively drilled.
The average designed gas flow rate is 1.5 million cubic meters per day, but the reservoir’s potential allows wells to operate at significantly higher productivity. Luryeva highlighted the commissioning, since late 2022, of three wells with a design that supports a working flow rate of 3 million cubic meters per day.
Regarding future development, Luryeva noted that phases 2, 3, and 4 are next in line, focusing on targeted gas utilization. Gas extraction rates are expected to gradually increase. The phased development strategy enables efficient management of investment flows, a critical aspect for implementing such a large-scale project.
Although the Galkynysh field is in the pilot commercial operation stage, further exploration is planned in the near future. This includes additional seismic studies, as well as the drilling of production-evaluation and exploratory wells. The resulting geological and operational data will serve as the basis for updating the geological-hydrodynamic model and conducting new predictive calculations.
Luryeva emphasized the importance of a continuously updated geological-hydrodynamic model, which enables real-time geological data updates and analysis of the effectiveness of various gas extraction scenarios based on current needs.
Moreover, there are significant opportunities for advancing the technologies used at the field.
One promising area is the utilization of sulfur and carbon dioxide, which is of interest from both technological and environmental perspectives. Drawing on global experience in developing high-sulfur gas fields, Turkmenistan is keen to exchange expertise and attract investments for Galkynysh’s development.
Thus, the Galkynysh field represents not only a colossal natural gas resource but also a dynamically evolving project aimed at long-term, efficient operation using advanced technologies and considering environmental factors. The upcoming development phases promise a significant increase in production volumes and a stronger position for Turkmenistan in the global energy market. ///nCa, 23 April 2025