TAPI Pipeline back on the agenda?

[EjazR]

http://pipelinesinternational.com/news/tapi_pipeline_back_on_the_agenda/043040/

Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has said that an increase in Turkmenistan's gas export potential has bolstered the prospects of the Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India (TAPI) Pipeline.

His comments came after the 5th meeting of the technical working group of the TAPI Pipeline closed in Ashgabat last week.

During the meeting, experts and specialists from Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and the Asian Development Bank discussed the critical technical issues related to acceleration of construction of the gas pipeline that would ensure long-term supplies of natural gas from Turkmenistan to the largest countries of the Southern Asian region.

Unocal proposed a similar pipeline route in the 1990s, but pulled out in 1998 after deciding the political situation in Afghanistan was too unstable.

The Turkmen President acknowledged that the project was complex but said that there was concrete evidence of the pipeline’s relevance and viability.

The $US3.2 billion project includes the construction of a 1,460 km pipeline running from Turkmenistan's Dauletabad-Donmez gas fields, through Afghanistan, to Multan in Pakistan.

The pipeline will be extended to the port city of Gwadar, in Pakistan, where a gas-liquefaction plant would allow gas to be supplied to international destinations.

In April 2008, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and India signed the framework agreement on construction of the TAPI gas pipeline.

The project received a new impetus to develop in May 2010 during the state visit of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to India, where the Turkmen leader held the successful talks with President of India Pratibha Devisingh Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

 

[Tayyab1796]

This project is a win-win for all the parties involved so it must go on .

 

[somebozo]

Just see the importance of Pakistan in indian energy security and our strategic importance as a whole.

TAPI
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov has said that an increase in Turkmenistan's gas export potential has bolstered the prospects of the Turkmenistan – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India (TAPI) Pipeline.

IPI
Iran-Pakistan-India

IPC
Iran-Pakistan-China

Pakistan Zindabad!

 

[Flame]

I think if this project goes on it will herlad a new era of different relation between the countries in the region (positive), well at least it will dinifitely on the part of Afghanistan. Some analysts in Afghanistan think that Pakistan is rather sabotaing it at the moment.

Afghan Government to Build 1680km Gas Pipeline

Tamim Shaheer
TOLO news / August 14, 2010

An agreement for the extension of a gas pipeline from Central Asia to South Asia through Afghanistan's soil will soon be signed, officials said.

The Ministry of Mines and Industries said on Saturday that the technical studies of a new pipeline project starting from Turkmenistan, a central Asian country and extending to Pakistan and India in South Asia through Afghanistan's soil will be discussed in the 10th joint conference among Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan.

The project will be finalised in the 11th conference to be held between these four countries in the next one month.

The Ministry said that with the construction of this extensive pipeline, which will continue 1680km in Afghanistan's soil, besides granting huge taxes to the Afghan government, job opportunities will be provided for thousands of Afghans.

Economic experts have cited lack of security a major problem confronting the project, and have urged government to provide sufficient security for the implementation of this project.

"The Afghan government will take $3 billion as tax annually after the project is completed," Sayed Masoud, an economy expert told TOLO news.

"Since security is very important for the implementation of this project, it is also very important to what extent Pakistan acts honestly in terms of the project," he added.

"In areas where gas stations are to be established, new towns will be built due to economic growth and gas supplies," Khan Jan Alokozay, deputy of Afghanistan's Chambers of Commerce, told TOLO news.

Afghanistan has long been the crossroads between Central Asian countries and South Asia, and the new gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to India through Afghanistan's soil will help boost the shattered Afghan economy.