Turkmenistan targets annual natural gas production of 80 billion cubic meters for 2026-2027

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 23, Maksat Babayev, Chairman of Turkmenistan's national gas company, stated at the closing press conference of the 2026 Turkmenistan International Oil and Gas Conference held in the capital Ashgabat that the country plans to produce approximately 80 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2026 and 2027 respectively. Natural gas production in 2025 was 76.5 billion cubic meters; based on the plan, the annual target represents an increase of 3.5 billion cubic meters, or approximately 4.6%. China and Uzbekistan remain Turkmenistan's main natural gas export markets.

According to the arrangements of Turkmenistan's national gas company, approximately 40 billion cubic meters of natural gas is planned for export to China and Uzbekistan. In 2025, China imported more than 30 billion cubic meters of natural gas from Turkmenistan. The country's other export markets include Azerbaijan, Turkey, and other countries.

Turkmenistan is constructing the Serhetabat-Herat section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline project. Babayev stated that this pipeline section is planned to be completed by the end of 2026, with the goal of beginning gas supplies to Afghanistan by mid-2027; the actual start of gas supplies will also depend on Afghanistan's readiness to receive the gas.

Turkmenistan is also discussing plans to transport natural gas to India via Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as exporting natural gas to Europe via the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus region, and Turkey. Currently, the relevant cross-border gas supply arrangements remain at the stage of discussing routes and cooperation plans.