Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, May 21
By Huseyn Hasanov – Trend:
The construction of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline is swiftly underway, Trend reports referring to the appeal of President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to the participants of the international gas congress opened today in Awaza.
"The implementation of the largest pipeline construction project will have a positive impact on strengthening the economies of all states in the region," the head of state said.
Turkmenistan currently exports natural fuel to China and Russia. The scale of the ongoing work on the phased development of the Galkynysh gas field was also noted in the message.
Excellent conditions have been formed in the country for attracting investments in this area, and a favorable investment climate has been created, Berdimuhamedov stressed.
"Strengthening cooperation with foreign countries in the oil and gas industry, Turkmenistan takes the most active part in resolving these issues, and so will it remain in the future," the statement reads.
Turkmenistan with its natural gas reserves holds one of the leading places in the world and ranks second in the CIS after Russia. Galkynysh gas field is one of the biggest fields in the world.
The construction of the Turkmen section of TAPI, with an annual capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas, was launched on December 13, 2015, while the construction of the Afghan section commenced in February 2018. Pakistan plans to start the work on its pipeline section this year.
The total length of the pipeline, with a capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year will be 1,840 kilometers. The length of the Turkmen section will be 205 kilometers. The energy bridge will then pass through the Afghan cities of Herat and Kandahar (816 kilometers), through the cities of Quetta and Multan across Pakistani territory (819 kilometers), and reach the settlement of Fazilka in India.
Muhammetmyrat Amanow, CEO of TAPI Pipeline Company Ltd., said in December 2018 during a roundtable meeting in Islamabad, Pakistan that "the gas pipeline will be brought to the Pakistani border within two years, and in the next 6-8 months, the gas route will stretch to the territory of India.”
Amanov also said the cost of the Turkmen gas, which will be supplied to Pakistan, is significantly lower compared to the price of liquefied gas imported by Islamabad.
The leader of TAPI Pipeline Company Ltd is Turkmengas, which has the controlling stake and acts as the main financier and project manager. The consortium also includes the Afghan Gas Corporation, Pakistan’s Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Limited and Indian GAIL.