Official Downplays U.S. Role In Competition For Turkmen Gas

ASHGABAT -- The U.S. Embassy in Turkmenistan says the impression that the United States is competing for Turkmenistan's energy resources is inaccurate.

Embassy spokesman Andrew Paul told RFE/RL's Turkmen Service that none of the planned export routes for natural gas will deliver gas to the United States.

He added that a diversification of export routes reinforces Turkmen independence and sovereignty and gives Ashgabat wider options in distributing its natural resources.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently sponsored a workshop in Turkmenistan on "pipeline integrity and management."

The workshop -- which was sponsored by the U.S.-Turkmen Business Council, Chevron, and ExxonMobil -- focused on managing pipelines and included pipeline design, how to assess damage and corrosion to pipelines, the cost of repairs, and inspection strategies for pipeline systems.