Tajiks Hope to Exploit Untapped Wealth
Tajiks Hope to Exploit Untapped Wealth
Oil and gas could not only provide Tajikistan with its own power sources, but also make it into a net exporter of energy. But NBCentralAsia experts warn it will take serious investment to get to that position.
This week, Tajik geologists announced that the country was rich in oil and gas deposits, based on recent exploration work in the south of the country. They also cite the findings of an American study confirming the existence of major oil and gas reserves in northern Afghanistan, including in areas bordering on Tajikistan.
This is probably the reason why more and more Russian companies are showing an interest in developing Tajik deposits. They include Gazprom Oil Asia (a filial of Gazprom), Saratovneftegeofizika, and Nizhnevolzhskgeologia, the latter two of which have already indicated their interest in taking part in inter-state programmes to conduct geophysical studies of possible oil and gas deposits in Tajikistan.
Given the current energy deficit and the depletion of supplies in the world, NBCentralAsia analysts believe that investors from other countries including China and the United States may also take an interest in oil and gas development in Tajikistan.
The experts point out that recent geological and geophysical data from Surkhandarya region in southern Uzbekistan indicate that adjoining parts of southwest Tajikistan could contain huge gas reserves estimated at several trillion cubic metres. Developing even one such field would be enough to turn Tajikistan into a major gas exporter.
Developing a domestic hydrocarbons industry has always been of crucial importance for Tajikistan, which currently imports 98 per cent of its oil and gas.
In Soviet times, Tajikistan extracted up to 520 million cubic metres of gas and 418,000 tons of oil per year. More than 80 million rubles (then valued at the same amount of US dollars) were earmarked every year for exploration, research and geophysical surveys.
However, the sector is now in a sorry state. The energy ministry staked everything on hydroelectric power and neglected oil and gas. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, mining equipment was stolen or became obsolete, and most of the experts left the country. The majority of oil and gas wells are standing idle, and only 20,000 tons of oil and 35 million cubic metres of gas are extracted annually.
NBCentralAsia experts therefore think that it is too early to talk about opening up oil and gas deposits. Tajikistan does not possess the resources to invest the hundreds of millions of dollars that would be needed get the industry on its feet.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
This week, Tajik geologists announced that the country was rich in oil and gas deposits, based on recent exploration work in the south of the country. They also cite the findings of an American study confirming the existence of major oil and gas reserves in northern Afghanistan, including in areas bordering on Tajikistan.
This is probably the reason why more and more Russian companies are showing an interest in developing Tajik deposits. They include Gazprom Oil Asia (a filial of Gazprom), Saratovneftegeofizika, and Nizhnevolzhskgeologia, the latter two of which have already indicated their interest in taking part in inter-state programmes to conduct geophysical studies of possible oil and gas deposits in Tajikistan.
Given the current energy deficit and the depletion of supplies in the world, NBCentralAsia analysts believe that investors from other countries including China and the United States may also take an interest in oil and gas development in Tajikistan.
The experts point out that recent geological and geophysical data from Surkhandarya region in southern Uzbekistan indicate that adjoining parts of southwest Tajikistan could contain huge gas reserves estimated at several trillion cubic metres. Developing even one such field would be enough to turn Tajikistan into a major gas exporter.
Developing a domestic hydrocarbons industry has always been of crucial importance for Tajikistan, which currently imports 98 per cent of its oil and gas.
In Soviet times, Tajikistan extracted up to 520 million cubic metres of gas and 418,000 tons of oil per year. More than 80 million rubles (then valued at the same amount of US dollars) were earmarked every year for exploration, research and geophysical surveys.
However, the sector is now in a sorry state. The energy ministry staked everything on hydroelectric power and neglected oil and gas. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, mining equipment was stolen or became obsolete, and most of the experts left the country. The majority of oil and gas wells are standing idle, and only 20,000 tons of oil and 35 million cubic metres of gas are extracted annually.
NBCentralAsia experts therefore think that it is too early to talk about opening up oil and gas deposits. Tajikistan does not possess the resources to invest the hundreds of millions of dollars that would be needed get the industry on its feet.
(News Briefing Central Asia draws comment and analysis from a broad range of political observers across the region.)
