Turkmenistan First-Half Natural Gas Output Reaches 39.1 Bcm

Turkmenistan produced 39.1 Bcm of natural gas during the first half of 2026 as China remained its largest export market despite expectations for slightly lower annual output.

(Reuters) — Turkmenistan produced 39.1 billion cubic meters of natural gas in the first half of 2026, up from 38.9 billion cubic meters for the same period a year earlier, the Altyn Asyr state TV channel reported on July 11, citing government data.

The Central Asian country, home to the world's fourth-largest natural gas reserves, is selling gas mainly to China this year, which has been Turkmenistan's main gas customer for nearly two decades.

It also sells smaller volumes to Uzbekistan.

For the full year, production is expected to be slightly lower than last year.

Maksat Babayev, head of the state-owned gas company Turkmengaz, said in April the country planned to produce approximately 76 billion cubic meters of gas.

In 2025, Turkmenistan produced 76.5 billion cubic meters of gas, compared with 77.6 billion cubic meters in 2024.

Turkmenistan's oil output is also edging lower. It reached 4.129 million metric tons of oil in the first half of 2026, compared with 4.091 million tons a year earlier, Altyn Asyr reported.