Turkmenistan will boost gas production by almost 13% this year to 81.5 billion cubic meters as Russia, China and Europe seek a larger share of its exports, the president said late on Monday.
"In 2007, Turkmenistan extracted 72.3 billion cubic meters of gas and 9.8 million metric tons of oil," President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said in comments broadcast on state television.
"In 2008 we expect to extract 81.5 billion cubic meters of gas and 10.8 million tons of oil," he said, indicating a 12.7% boost in gas output and a 10.2% increase in oil production.
The reclusive Central Asian state has gas reserves estimated at 2.1 trillion cubic meters, a figure that has attracted the attention of China, Russia and Iran, all keen to secure a share.
Although most of its exports currently go through Russia, the country has shown signs of greater openness to other countries since Berdymukhamedov took over after the death of eccentric dictator Saparmurat Niyazov.