ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, Feb. 21
By Huseyn Hasanov– Trend:
Turkmenistan plans to hold an international conference titled "TAPI - The Gas Pipeline for Peace and Cooperation" on Feb. 24-25 in Dubai, the UAE, Trend reports with reference to the Turkmenistan State News Agency.
Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister Myratgeldi Meredov said earlier at a government meeting that an international forum to attract foreign investment in the country's oil and gas industry will be held along with the conference. Representatives of major global oil and gas companies, financial institutions, research institutes and international organizations are expected to attend the event.
Prospects for the development of the gas chemical industry in Turkmenistan, attraction of investments in projects for the development of offshore blocks of the Turkmen sector of the Caspian Sea will be considered on the sidelines of the event. A round table will be held with representatives of foreign companies.
President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov who attended the meeting emphasized that the construction of the transnational Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline is part of Turkmenistan’s energy strategy, which aims to diversify export routes for energy supplies to the global market, including Southeast Asia.
The implementation of such a large-scale project will give a new impetus to the economic development of the region's states, and will contribute to solving issues of a social, environmental and humanitarian nature, the head of state noted.
The construction of the Turkmen section of the TAPI pipeline was launched in December 2015. The design capacity of the pipeline may reach 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year. The pipeline will 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 city of Fazilka in India.
The construction of the Afghan section of the pipeline was initiated in February 2018, while the construction of the Pakistani section is planned to be launched in 2020.
The Turkmengas State Concern is the leader of the TAPI Pipeline Company Ltd. international consortium. It acts as the main financier and manager of the project. The consortium also includes Afghan Gas Corporation, Pakistan’s Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Limited Company and India’s GAIL Company.
Turkmenistan exports gas to China and Russia.