mez , ▁and ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁known ▁as ▁Soviet abad ) ▁is ▁a ▁large ▁natural ▁gas ▁field ▁located ▁in ▁Mary , ▁Mary ▁province , ▁Turk men istan . ▁It ▁is ▁located ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity ▁of ▁the ▁Turk men istan – I ran ▁border , ▁and ▁is ▁named ▁after ▁the ▁Dow lat abad ▁settlement ▁across ▁the ▁border ▁in ▁Iran . ▁ ▁The ▁field ▁is ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Am u - D ary a ▁oil - gas ▁province . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁D au let abad ▁struct ural ▁feature ▁was ▁detected ▁during ▁ge ological ▁surve ys ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 – 1 9 6 0 . ▁The ▁D au let abad ▁arch ▁was ▁confirmed ▁by ▁se ism ic ▁surve ys ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 8 . ▁The ▁expl or atory ▁well s ▁confirm ing ▁existence ▁of ▁natural ▁gas ▁res erves ▁were ▁d ril led ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 2 – 1 9 7 4 . ▁ ▁Production ▁started ▁at ▁the ▁D au let abad ▁field ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁independence ▁of ▁Turk men istan , ▁production ▁decl ined ▁significantly , ▁but ▁increased ▁again ▁after ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁gas ▁is ▁export ed ▁via ▁the ▁Central ▁Asia - Center ▁gas ▁pipeline ▁system . ▁Starting ▁from ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁gas ▁is ▁supplied ▁also ▁to ▁Iran ▁through ▁the ▁D au let abad – Sal yp ▁Y ar ▁pipeline . ▁ ▁Res erves ▁Before ▁production ▁started ▁in