Issues related to energy cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia were discussed a meeting of Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma with Russian Minister of Energy Nikolai Shulgin that took place in Moscow on November 18.
Exploration and development of gas deposits in Tajikistan
According to the press center of the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR), the parties, in particular discussed the possibility of resuming the search for oil and natural gas in Tajikistan.
Recall, Gazprom International, an affiliate of Russia’s state-controlled company Gazprom, was engaged in exploring and developing natural gas deposits in Tajikistan.
In 2006, Gazprom received licenses from the Tajik government to explore the Sargazon and Rengan fields in 2006. According to Gazprom, the Rengan field, located 20 kilometers from the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, reportedly has possible gas reserves of 35 billion cubic meters; Sargazon, located in Khatlon province 150 kilometers from Dushanbe, has possible reserves of 30 billion cubic meters.
On September 15, 2009, Gazprom received licenses for exploration of the Western Shohambari and Sariqamish fields and the licenses expired on September 18, 2018.
The Sariqamish field reportedly has possible gas reserves of 18 billion cubic meters, possible oil reserves of 17 million tons and possible reserves of dissolved gas of 2 billion cubic meters.
During his visit to Tajikistan, Gazprom chief Alexei Miller told journalists on September 18, 2013 that his company is interested in obtaining more licenses to explore natural-gas fields in Tajikistan.
According to Miller, Gazprom has invested some $150 million in two major natural-gas fields in Tajikistan’s north since 2010.
In August 2013, Gazprom reportedly announced an additional $15 million investment in its operations at the Sariqamish gas field.
Meanwhile, Gazprom International gave up licenses for exploration of the Sargazon and Rengan fields in 2014. Gazprom justified its decision to give up the licenses for exploration of the Sargazon and Rengan fields by saying that it decided to concentrate its efforts on exploration and development of the Sariqamish and Western Shohambari fields.
However, Igor Shatalov, the head of Gazprom International’s office in Tajikistan, noted in July 2018 that Gazprom has decided to give up licenses for exploration of Sariqamish and Western Shohambari gas fields.
The then deputy head of the Main Geology Directorate of Tajikistan, Rahmonbek Bakhtdavlatov, told reporters in Dushanbe on July 18, 2018 that Gazprom has scaled down work in Tajikistan and is leaving the country.
According to him, existing technologies do not allow Tajikistan extracting its oil and natural gas reserves.
“We have counted on Gazprom and thought they will able to do anything using their facilities. Gazprom has drilled only one hole and says that there is no gas or oil in Tajikistan. They should have drilled not one but two or three holes. We will still wait for better times,” Tajik geologist said.
Cooperation between the Tajik government and Russia’s state-controlled company Gazprom is regulated by a long-term (till 2028) agreement on strategic cooperation in the gas industry signed between Gazprom and Tajikistan’s Ministry of Energy in Dushanbe on May 15, 2003 and a memorandum of intent on launching joint Tajik-Russian enterprises of March 28, 2006. Gazprom has been working in Tajikistan on providing the beginning of geological explorations since July 2006.
According to expert estimates, the aggregate raw-materials resources of the oil and gas bearing areas in Tajikistan amount to about 1,000 billion tons of reference fuel. At the same time, production work at oil and gas fields require considerable expenditure, since hydrocarbon deposits occur at depths ranging from 6.5 to 8 kilometers.
Concessional fuel products
Meanwhile, the MoEWR press center says the ministers also discussed the issue of the delivery of the duty-free Russian petroleum products to Tajikistan to Tajikistan.
Recall, the agreement on duty-free Russian petroleum product deliveries to Tajikistan was signed between the governments of Russia and Tajikistan in Moscow on February 6, 2013
Under this agreement, the sides consider and endorse the indicative fuel balance for the next calendar before October 1 of each year. Fuels delivered in addition to the indicative fuel balance will be liable to export duty.
Russian petroleum products delivered to Tajikistan in the volumes not exceeding those agreed on indicative balance are not subject to re-export to the third countries.
