RusEnergy

07 September 2007 – Upstream OnLine – Turkmenistan raised natural gas production by 11% in the first eight months of the year, state media reports said today without providing figures. The Central Asian state rarely publishes official statistical data and many economic indicators are a state secret. Turkmenistan is the biggest gas producer in the former Soviet Union after Russia, with exports of more than 50 billion cubic metres of gas per year. It produces around 200,000 barrels of crude per day. Oil production rose 9% in January-August compared with the same 2006 period, state television said. Turkmenistan plans to produce 80 Bcm of gas this year and export 58 Bcm to Russia and neighbouring Iran. Oil production is seen at 10.4 million tonnes this year, a Reuters report said.