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---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: 13 Oct 2001 14:29:45 -0400
From: Gary Lawrence Murphy
To: fork
Subject: Missing details on Afghanistan: Natural Gas
Something I haven't seen appear on this list before but which may
or may not be significant:
http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/afghan.html
"Afghanistan's significance from an energy standpoint stems from its
geographical position as a potential transit route for oil and
natural gas exports from Central Asia to the Arabian Sea. This
potential includes the possible construction of oil and natural gas
export pipelines through Afghanistan, which was under serious
consideration in the mid-1990s. The idea has since been undermined
by Afghanistan's instability.
...
"The Soviets had estimated Afghanistan's proven and probable natural
gas reserves at up to 5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) in the 1970s.
Afghan natural gas production reached 275 million cubic feet per day
(Mmcf/d) in the mid-1970s. However, due to declining reserves from
producing fields, output gradually fell to about 220 Mmcf/d by
1980. At that time, the Jorquduq field was brought online and was
expected to boost Afghan natural gas output to 385 Mmcf/d by the
early 1980s. However, sabotage of infrastructure by the anti-Soviet
mujaheddin fighters limited the country's total production to 290
Mmcf/d, an output level that was held fairly steady until the Soviet
withdrawal in 1989. After the Soviet pullout and subsequent Afghan
civil war, roughly 31 producing wells at Sheberghan area fields were
shut in pending the restart of natural gas sales to the former
Soviet Union.
"At its peak in the late 1970s, Afghanistan supplied 70%-90% of its
natural gas output to the Soviet Union's natural gas grid via a link
through Uzbekistan. In 1992, Afghan President Najibullah indicated
that a new natural gas sales agreement with Russia was in
progress. However, several former Soviet republics raised price and
distribution issues and negotiations stalled. In the early 1990s,
Afghanistan also discussed possible natural gas supply arrangements
with Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and several Western European
countries, but these talks never progressed further. Afghan natural
gas fields include Jorqaduq, Khowaja Gogerdak, and Yatimtaq, all of
which are located within 20 miles of the northern town of Sheberghan
in Jowzjan province. Natural gas production and distribution is the
responsibility of the Taliban-controlled Afghan Gas Enterprise. In
1999, work resumed on the repair of a distribution pipeline to
Mazar-i-Sharif. Spur pipelines to a small power plant and
fertilizer plant also were repaired and completed. Mazar-i-Sharif
is now receiving natural gas from the pipeline, as well as some
other surrounding areas. Rehabilitation of damaged natural gas
wells has been undertaken at the Khowaja Gogerak field, which has
increased natural gas production."
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