China declares interest in joining TAPI

Originating at the giant Galkynysh gas field in Turkmenistan, the US$9.6 billion Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India (TAPI) pipeline involves the four countries’ own energy companies, and would carry 33 billion m₃/y of gas.

Turkmenistan is building the TAPI pipeline to diversify its gas exports, which have mostly gone to China. But the project has suffered lengthy delays due to difficulties obtaining financing and the security risks of building a pipeline through war-torn Afghanistan.

Mobin Saulat, the Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan’s state-owned Inter State Gas Systems (ISGS), told Reuters that Chinese officials have shown growing interest in building a spur from Pakistan and the line could act as an alternative to Beijing’s plans to build a fourth China-to-Turkmenistan pipeline.