OSCE workshop in Turkmenistan explores energy diplomacy and pricing mechanisms for natural gas
ASHAGABAT, 30 May 2014 – Energy diplomacy and pricing mechanisms for natural gas were the focus of an OSCE workshop that concluded in Ashgabat today.
The two-day event brought together representatives of Turkmenistan’s oil, gas, energy, economic and financial sectors. The workshop addressed topics such as the main factors influencing the supply and demand curves, evolution of pricing mechanisms on international natural gas markets as well as regional perspectives of current and future gas pricing mechanisms.
“Energy issues are crucial for national and international security, economic well-being and the environment, and energy diplomacy should be among the priorities of foreign policy of energy producing, transit and consuming countries,” said Nana Baramidze, the Centre’s Economic and Environmental Officer. “Turkmenistan attaches utmost importance to the energy security dialogue and international co-operation in addressing energy-related questions, which is in harmony with the OSCE’s energy security concept.”
“This workshop is organized as part of the continuous support from the Centre to the government of Turkmenistan in the area of energy security, and we believe that these events provide an excellent platform for exchanging expert views on a wide range of topics related to energy diplomacy,” she added.
International experts from Austria and the Russian Federation as well as representatives from the Energy Charter and the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN), discussed the development of regional markets and current trends in price formation in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe. The workshop participants exchanged views on the correlation between the consumption of various energy resources and mechanisms used to influence natural gas pricing, as well as research and development (R&D) licensing for natural gas companies and their influence on the natural gas prices.
Case studies enabled participants to examine several ways for gas from Turkmenistan to reach energy markets, its possibilities for market entry and relevant pricing mechanisms.