BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 2. Turkmenistan reviewed international methane-emission standards yesterday as part of work to develop its regulatory framework for the energy sector.
The information was reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan following a consultation meeting held at the Research Institute of Natural Gas in Ashgabat. Representatives of the Mejlis, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Environmental Protection, Turkmengaz and Turkmennebit took part in the meeting, which focused on international standards and regulations for reducing methane emissions, the ministry said.
According to the ministry, participants considered approaches to reviewing Turkmenistan’s regulatory framework in line with recognized international practices, including the EU regulation on methane emissions in the energy sector.
The meeting was held under the EU-funded project "EU for Green Development in Turkmenistan: Policy Dialogue and Climate Action 2024-2029," co-financed by the European Union and Germany’s Federal Foreign Office and implemented by GIZ, according to the ministry.
Meanwhile, Turkmenistan’s methane agenda has moved beyond policy discussions toward practical emissions monitoring and mitigation. UNEP told that eight methane sources in Turkmenistan had been successfully mitigated and remained under monitoring. The sources were linked to pipelines, wells and flaring, while UNEP estimated that they had emitted more than 27,000 tons of methane before mitigation.
The issue is becoming increasingly relevant to the country’s gas sector as Turkmenistan seeks to expand production and diversify exports. In 2026, the country launched the fourth phase of Galkynysh development with China’s CNPC, a project expected to add up to 10 billion cubic meters of annual commercial gas production, while Ashgabat continues to promote projects such as TAPI and explore broader energy cooperation with the EU.
At the same time, the EU’s methane regulation is establishing increasingly detailed requirements for measuring, reporting and verifying methane emissions associated with fossil fuels entering the European market. From January 1, 2027, importers will have to demonstrate that relevant contracts for oil, natural gas and coal from outside the EU are covered by methane monitoring, reporting and verification measures equivalent to those required under the regulation.
The regulation also introduces methane-intensity reporting requirements for imported oil and gas from August 2028, while from August 2030 certain new or renewed supply contracts will be subject to maximum methane-intensity requirements.
Against this backdrop, improving methane measurement and regulatory practices can have implications not only for environmental performance but also for the transparency and international marketability of Turkmenistan’s natural gas.
Earlier, editor-in-chief of the Türkmen Dünýäsi newspaper, Batyr Muradov, answering to a question from Trend, told that Turkmenistan is exploring the possibility of exporting natural gas to Europe through Azerbaijan as part of the country's potential future energy projects.
