TAPI gas pipeline inauguration to be held in March

December 17, 2018: Pakistan is in process of holding discussion on the Host Government Agreement (HGA) with the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) partners to lay gas pipeline on its section from Chaman to Multan via Quetta and Dera Ismail Khan.

Turkmenistan has already completed the construction of gas pipeline in its section, following which a groundbreaking ceremony was performed in February this year at the Turkmen border city of Serhetabat to take the pipeline to Afghanistan.       

As per official sources, the TAPI parties have already signed the shareholder and investment agreements, while currently the HGA is under discussion with the project partners and Pakistan.

The TAPI Pipeline Company Limited (TPCL), the consortium leader, has expressed the desire to hold an inaugural ceremony in March 2019 in Pakistan, inviting head of states of all four countries, they said.

Commenting on progress made on the project so far in Pakistan, they said Technical Consultant of the project had been appointed and the Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) had been completed.

Under the project, a 56-inch diameter 1,680 kilometers pipeline, having capacity to flow 3.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) gas, would be laid from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan up to Pak-India border by the year 2020.

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 the share of 0.5 bcfd gas.

During the current month, TPCL CEO Muhammetmyrat Amanov visited Pakistan and held a meeting with Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Ghulam Sarwar Khan and discussed the project in detail and its early completion.

The pipeline would help increase the power generation capacity to meet the country’s future energy needs, create more job opportunities in backward areas along the pipeline route and further strengthen the national economy.

The procurement process for pipelines, long lead items and appointment of Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor has been started. While, the company has appointed a legal counsel for rendering legal services on the agreements to be executed by the company.

(APP)