Many emerging world countries have enormous natural resources that can aid in the growth of local economies. Most of these countries are ill-equipped to use these resources well. Access is difficult and costly, and there are no markets established for these resources. As a result, these countries continue to depend on resources that don’t fuel growth. While the potential for energy-driven economic growth is enormous, roadblocks need to be removed and challenges overcome. In 2010, aXseum created a supply and demand model to create a market for clean, abundant, natural gas. We built an infrastructure that enables Afghanistan to move closer to energy self-sufficiency and feel the economic impact at the same time. aXseum’s reputation for accomplishing nearly impossible tasks led the Department of Defense (TFBSO) to award us with the task of designing not only the physical infrastructure to make these resources available to the country, but also the very markets for economic growth themselves.

Our team on the ground in Afghanistan:

• located vast natural gas resources;
• developed the extraction plan for highest efficiency;
• determined how to transport the gas from the fields to the factories, power plants, and entities requiring supply; and
• converted factories and vehicles to accept natural gas as fuel.

Our specific services included:

• seismic testing;
• market analysis;
• refurbishing inefficient natural gas plants;
• building central vehicle conversion complex;
• refurbishing old pipelines; and
• building new pipelines.

There was once no market for natural gas in Afghanistan. Now there is. Suppliers, sellers, and buyers. As the drawdown moves forward we continue to build capacity for the Afghan energy market to thrive and create prosperity for decades to come.