ISLAMABAD: Pakistan government makes important statement over theTurkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan India gas pipeline project.
The Petroleum Division has said that theTurkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project isprogressing as per the “timelines” agreed among the member countries and“there is no delay in the project.”
“The planned flow of non-compressed gas from the TAPI gas pipeline projectis December 2023,” according to official documents.
Earlier, a senior official privy to petroleum sector developments hadinformed that Pakistan was in process of renegotiating gas price with TAPIProject Company Limited (TPCL), following which a groundbreaking ceremonywould be held for ‘Pakistan-Section’ of the multi-billion dollartrans-country gas pipeline in Chaman. “We are keen to have a new compatiblegas price under the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) project.Accordingly, renegotiation for the gas price will take place with the TPCLbefore groundbreaking of the pipeline in Pakistan.”
He was confident that Pakistan would complete Phase-I of the project withina period of 30-month after initiating the groundwork for laying thepipeline from Chaman to Multan via Quetta and Dera Ismail Khan.
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The project consists of two phases. In the first phase, there will be freeflow of gas in the pipeline which would be completed at an estimated costof $ 5 to 6 billion, while in second phase compressor stations to beinstalled at a cost of $ 1.9 to $ 2 billion.
Under the project, he said, a 56-inch diameter 1,680 kilometers pipeline,having capacity to flow 3.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) gas, would belaid from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan up to Pak-Indiaborder.
As per the TAPI agreement, Pakistan and India will be provided 1.325 bcfd(billion cubic feet per day) gas each and Afghanistan will be getting theshare of 0.5 bcfd gas.
