BAKU, Azerbaijan, September 19. Turkmenistan
plans to build new housing for oil and gas workers in Balkanabat,
Turkmenbashi and Mary, near the Galkynysh gas field.


The information was announced in a statement issued by the press
service of the Turkmen government following a meeting chaired by
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov, during which Deputy Chairman of
the Cabinet of Ministers Guvanch Agajanov reported on measures
aimed at improving living conditions for oil and gas workers.


"The first stage of construction includes four four-story
buildings with 40 apartments each and four four-story buildings
with 24 apartments each, totaling 256 households," the report
says.


According to the report, the housing project in Mary is part of
a larger development planned for 720 households for workers in the
oil and gas sector.


The government press service said that 10 four-story buildings
with 24 apartments each, providing housing for 240 households, are
planned in Balkanabat, while a 12-story building with 72 apartments
is planned in Turkmenbashi.


President Serdar Berdimuhamedov approved the proposals and
instructed the government to continue construction of housing for
workers in the oil and gas sector, the press service said.







Meanwhile, the housing projects are being implemented as
Turkmenistan expands civilian infrastructure in the Mary region,
where the Galkynysh gas field, one of the world's largest gas
fields, is located. The field's reserves are estimated at around 27
trillion cubic meters of natural gas, and its development has
become a major component of Turkmenistan's efforts to increase gas
production and export capacity.


China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) has been involved in
Galkynysh since 2009 and is a key foreign partner in the field's
development. In March 2026, Turkmengaz State Concern and CNPC
signed a turnkey contract for the design and construction of
facilities for the fourth phase of Galkynysh development. Work on
the fourth phase began on April 17, 2026, with the project expected
to enable annual gas production of up to 10 billion cubic
meters.


The expansion of civilian infrastructure is taking place
alongside the development of the field. In April, Turkmenistan
approved the construction of a new settlement in the Imambaba rural
council area of Yoloten district, also in Mary region, with
implementation planned through 2030. The area has also seen the
construction of facilities for the State Migration Service and new
housing infrastructure.


Taken together, these developments indicate that Turkmenistan is
not only expanding production infrastructure around Galkynysh, but
is also building up the civilian infrastructure in the surrounding
area. The trend is particularly relevant as the fourth phase of the
field's development moves forward with Chinese participation and is
expected to add to the country's gas production and export
capacity.


Earlier in April, Trend's special correspondent reporting from the
Galkynysh gas field in Yoloten settlement, Mary region, also
reported that Turkmengaz State Concern plans to build a gas
processing plant with an annual capacity of 10 billion cubic meters
of marketable gas, drill 30 production wells, and construct
industrial, infrastructure, and social facilities as part of the
fourth phase of the field's development. The overall investment in
the project is estimated at around $5 billion, with completion
scheduled for 2030, according to the company.