The President of Turkmenistan has signed a resolution signaling the start of the next stage in the development of Galkynysh, one of the world’s largest gas fields.
According to the document, the State Concern “Türkmengaz” is authorized to enter into a “turnkey” contract with the Chinese company CNPC Amudarya Petroleum Company Ltd. (a subsidiary of China National Petroleum Corporation). The contract covers the design and construction of facilities for the fourth phase of the Galkynysh field development.
The project includes the construction of a gas treatment plant with a capacity of 10 billion cubic meters (bcm) of sales gas per year. It also involves drilling and commissioning the necessary number of production wells to ensure gas recovery in equivalent volumes.
Earlier, in October 2025 at the 30th International Conference and Exhibition “Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan – OGT 2025,” Ashyrguly Begliyev, then Advisor to the President on Oil and Gas Issues, emphasized that the fourth phase would be fully financed by Turkmenistan’s own resources. CNPC was selected as the contractor following an international tender.
The reserves of Galkynysh (including the nearby Garakel and Yashlar fields) are estimated at 27.4 trillion cubic meters of natural gas.
The Galkynysh field is being developed under a long-term, seven-phase strategy. Each phase is designed for a stable production period of over 30 years. Currently, the first phase is undergoing pilot-industrial operation. Once all seven stages are fully operational, the field’s gross annual gas production could reach nearly 200 bcm.
Parallel negotiations are ongoing with international investors and companies—including CNPC and ADNOC—regarding the implementation of the second and third phases. Particular attention is being paid to the implementation of advanced technologies, improving energy efficiency, and reducing methane emissions.
As of 21 March 2026, approximately 460 bcm of natural gas has been delivered to the PRC via the Turkmenistan–China gas pipeline. In recent years, Turkmenistan has consistently exported about 40 bcm of gas to China annually. The launch of the fourth phase is expected to further strengthen the country’s position as a key supplier of natural gas to its largest export market./// nCa, 21 March 2026