Pakistan and Turkmenistan have decided to speed up work on the TAPI gas pipeline project, which aims to transport 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually along a route spanning 1,800 km (1,125 miles) from Galkynysh, the world’s second-biggest gas field, to the Indian city of Fazilka near the Pakistan border.
Radio Pakistan reported that the decision was made after Pakistan’s Minister for Petroleum, Musadik Malik, met with Turkmenistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Cabinet, Rashid Meredow, who was on a two-day visit to Pakistan.
“Substantial progress has been made through collaboration on the TAPI Gas Pipeline project aimed at promoting economic integration and energy security,” Musadik said, according to Radio Pakistan.
The CEO of TAPI Pipeline Company, also present at the meeting, noted that significant progress had been made, thanks to the interest of Pakistan’s Ministry of Petroleum and the Special Investment Facilitation Council.
Minister Meredow mentioned that a “roadmap” would be prepared to enhance cooperation between Pakistan and Turkmenistan.
TAPI Project Overview The project involves laying a 56-inch diameter, 1,680-kilometer pipeline capable of transporting 3.2 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Pak-India border.
Under the TAPI agreement, Pakistan and India will each receive 1.325 bcfd of gas, while Afghanistan will receive 0.5 bcfd.
In June, Pakistan and Turkmenistan signed a joint implementation plan in Islamabad to execute the TAPI gas pipeline project. The signing ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a Turkmenistan delegation led by Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma’a.
