Turkmenistan Sets 2026 Focus on TAPI Pipeline Segment, Gas Production Growth
Turkmenistan’s 2026 energy plan prioritizes gas production growth, new phases at the Galkynysh field, and completion of a key TAPI pipeline segment linking Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
(P&GJ) — Turkmenistan has approved its oil and gas sector work plan for 2026, placing priority on expanding production capacity and advancing major export infrastructure, including a key segment of the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov approved the plans during a Jan. 9 digital meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers, following a briefing by Vice Chairman Batyr Amanov on the sector’s objectives for the year, according to a government report.
The 2026 agenda for state energy companies Turkmengas and Turkmennebit includes continued development of oil and gas fields, increased production of natural and associated gas, crude oil and condensate, expansion of liquefied natural gas output, and higher volumes of gas exports to international markets. The plan also calls for deeper refining of crude oil and broader supply of petroleum products to both domestic and overseas consumers.
State-owned Turkmengeology is tasked with expanding exploration activity, including identifying new oil and natural gas formations, as well as advancing digital systems and deploying new technologies across upstream operations.
Among the most significant infrastructure priorities outlined is the planned completion of the Serhetabat–Herat section of the TAPI pipeline, a cross-border project designed to move Turkmen gas south through Afghanistan toward Pakistan and India. Officials also identified the start of additional development phases at the Galkynysh gas field—one of the world’s largest—as a core objective for 2026.
Following the presentation, Berdimuhamedov emphasized the need to steadily increase hydrocarbon production and make more efficient use of existing production capacity. He formally approved the sector’s plans and instructed Amanov to proceed with implementation.