Turkish Energy Firms and Afghan-American Entrepreneur

Turkish Energy Firms and Afghan-American Entrepreneur Seek To Revolutionize Afghanistan’s Hydrocarbon Sector by Matching Turkish Expertise, Afghan Insight, and American Ingenuity To Transform Afghanistan’s Gas Sector and Activate Nation’s Next Phase of Economic Growth

Kabul, Afghanistan, 01 June 2014 – Türkiye Petrolleri A.O. (“TPAO”), Çalık Enerji Sanayi ve Ticaret (“ÇALIK”) and Bayat Energy (“BAYAT”) are pleased to announce the formation of a consortium in order to submit a bid for the exploration, development and production of the Totimaidan Block in Faryab Province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. This Project, currently being Tendered by Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, should set the basis for the continued growth of Afghanistan’s natural gas sector and ongoing hydrocarbons development for years to come for the benefit of the Afghan people.

We believe our Consortium offers a unique combination of world-class technical expertise, significant regional experience, and a deep understanding of Afghan business operations.

• -TPAO, Turkey’s national oil company, brings 60 years of hydrocarbon exploration, drilling, production, refinery and marketing experience worldwide and 5 years of experience in Afghanistan. TPAO has extensive international experience, having completed projects in the Caspian Region (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan), North Africa (Libya), South America (Colombia), Russia, and Iraq.
• -Çalik Enerji is a Turkish energy company and part of the expansive Çalık Holding group, which was established in 1998. Çalik Enerji has oil and gas exploration and production activities in Turkey, Iraq, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan (notably in the Ýolöten Gas Field).
• -Bayat Energy – part of the Bayat Group – is owned by Mr. Ehsanollah Bayat, one of Afghanistan’s most well-known entrepreneurs and leading American investor in Afghanistan. Mr. Bayat’s businesses include Afghan Wireless Communications Company and Ariana Television and Radio, and he has been recognized nationally and internationally for his committed efforts to connect Afghans across the nation and the world through mobile telephony, broadband services, and balanced radio and television programming, as well as, his significant humanitarian contributions made by the non-profit Bayat Foundation.

Our Consortium is poised to develop gas fields in northern Afghanistan that will be used to supply the local Afghan market and activate new gas-fired industries in the country, as well as, be sold internationally. Studies have indicated that there could be in excess of 10 TCF of gas in the block.

Should the expected fields be found in Afghanistan, our Consortium intends to invest in new technology and pipelines that will connect Afghanistan’s northern gas fields with Turkmen pipelines, an audacious move that will serve as the precursor for the long discussed Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline.

We look forward to working in partnership with the Government and citizens of Afghanistan, bringing jobs and economic wealth to the nation while re-affirming the nation of Turkey’s continued focus on building lasting partnerships with the Afghan people and supporting the country’s ongoing development.