Save the date: TAPI construction

Turkmenistan and Afghanistan have come to an agreement to launch the construction of TAPI – a proposed 1735 km natural gas pipeline that will transport its 33 billion m³/y of flow from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Though Turkmenistan is said to hold the fourth largest gas reserve in the world, at present its exports are primarily transported to China.

Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov – President of Turkmenistan – discussed the TAPI pipeline construction with Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani via a phone call on Monday 9 November.

Berdymukhamedov requested Ghani’s presence at the ceremony to mark the construction of the pipeline, which Ghani accepted. The ceremony will take place on 13 December.

Doubts of construction have been previously made due to price-fixing debates and the lack of security in the areas where the pipeline will pass through.

However, while the construction of TAPI is set to begin soon, it has been predicted that the pipeline will not be operational for another two years.

Turkmen newspaper ‘Neutral Turkmenistan’ stated experts from the oil and gas industry shall execute work laying the Turkmen section of the pipeline and establishing the ground support infrastructures until the line is operational, expected in December 2018.

Edited from various sources by Stephanie Roker

Sources: US News, Oil and Gas Eurasia, Post Gazette, Trend News Agency

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/project-news/16112015/save-the-date-tapi-construction/