On 28 June the opening ceremony for the gas-to-gasoline plant, which had recently been built in Akhal velayat, was held with President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov in attendance.
The state information agency TDH reports that after arriving at the manufacturing facility, the President, together with the leaders of the Japanese delegation cut the symbolic ribbon and familiarized himself with the plant.
The film featuring the plant and stages of petroleum refining process was demonstrated to the visitors.
Following this, according to the media outlet, the first 60 tons of petrol manufactured at the plant will be sent to Afghanistan by trucks or by rail as humanitarian aid.
The project cost is estimated at $1,7 billion. The project was funded by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation. By the order of the state holding “Turkmengas”, the construction works were carried out by the Japanese company Kawasaki Hemi Indastriz and Turkish Renessans.
On the way back to the capital Berdymukhammedov stopped at the filling station and filled up the gas tank with “pure synthetic petrol”, according to TDH.
It should be emphasized that the petrol is now referred to as Eco-93 although prior to the opening the state information agency reported that the plant was scheduled to produce petrol of A-92 grade, Euro-5 standard.
Judging by the television footage, the cost of Eco-93 (A-92 Euro 5 standard) is more expensive than A-95, A-92 grades and diesel fuel. A liter of synthetic fuel costs 2 manats whereas A-92 petrol or diesel will cost 1,35 manats, А-95 1,5 manats.
The state information agency reports that Bulgaria, Greece and Romania have already placed orders to purchase petrol, produced using the GTL technology.
At the same time it should be emphasized that since 2015 the European countries have been switching to environmental standard Euro 6.