BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 2. Turkmen President
Serdar Berdimuhamedov has instructed the government to step up
international cooperation aimed at reducing methane emissions from
the country’s oil and gas sector.
The directive followed a briefing by Deputy Chairman of the
Cabinet of Ministers Guvanch Agajanov on practical measures to
expand international partnerships on methane emissions reduction
and the utilization of captured methane, according to a statement
released by the Turkmen government’s press service.
According to the report, state concerns Turkmengaz and
Turkmennebit are working in this area, including through
cooperation with leading foreign companies under a relevant World
Bank project. This engagement is intended to support the
implementation of specific environmental measures during production
operations.
Against this backdrop, in an exclusive interview with Trend the UN Environment
Programme (UNEP) said that eight methane emission sources in
Turkmenistan had been successfully mitigated and remained under
monitoring. The sources were linked to leaks in pipelines, gas
wells and flaring equipment.
“UNEP estimates that the eight sources in Turkmenistan had
emitted over 27,000 tonnes of methane before they were addressed.
The near-term climate impact of these emissions was equivalent to
the climate impact of over 500,000 passenger vehicles driven for
one year,” the organization said.
UNEP noted that its International Methane Emissions Observatory
(IMEO) has been working directly with stakeholders in Turkmenistan
since 2023, sharing alerts through its satellite-based Methane
Alert and Response System (MARS). The organization also highlighted
cooperation with GIZ, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank
to strengthen national capacity for methane emissions
management.
