Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 24
By Huseyn Hasanov- Trend:
Pakistani companies are willing to participate in the exploration and production of Turkmenistan's hydrocarbon resources, Pakistan's Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Resources, Jam Kamal Khan said.
he made the remarks during his visit to Turkmenistan this week, a press release of Pakistani government said.
In this regard, the Turkmen side proposed the experts of the two countries to discuss the possibility of creating joint ventures or signing production-sharing agreements.
The Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project was discussed during the meeting with Pakistani state minister, the press release said.
A Pakistani delegation, which also included the Managing Director of Pakistan Petroleum Limited, Asim Murtaza Khan, met with Turkmenistan's Deputy PM of oil and gas industry, Baymyrat Hojamuhammedov.
"The parties discussed the issues of mutual interest, including progress on TAPI gas pipeline project and explored the possibilities of importing different forms of energy from Turkmenistan e.g. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), " the government's press release said.
In his keynote address at the international gas congress held Turkmenistan, Jam Kamal Khan stated that the economies of Pakistan and Turkmenistan complement each other.
"Turkmenistan can get access to open Sea through Gawadar port for export of its crude oil and natural gas and Pakistan can import natural gas and crude oil from Turkmenistan to meet the energy shortage in the country," the press release said.
Jam Kamal Khan stressed on the need for early implementation of the TAPI project, which is vital for the economic development of the region in general and Pakistan in particular.
The basic document is the Ashgabat interstate agreement of the member states signed in 2010 in Ashgabat on starting the practical implementation of the TAPI project.
The design capacity of the TAPI is up to 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year.
Sale and purchase agreements were signed with Indian GAIL Ltd and State Gas Systems of Pakistan in May 2012. The same agreement with the Afghan gas corporation was signed in July 2013.
The TAPI pipe length will reach 1,735 kilometers. Some 200 kilometers of the pipeline will run through Turkmenistan, 735 kilometers - through Afghanistan, 800 kilometers - through Pakistan to the settlement of Fazilka, located on the border with India. Turkmenistan's largest field Galkynysh can serve as a raw material source.