Turkmenistan has submitted a report to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) wherein it claimed of having adequate gas reserves to dedicate for Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) pipeline for 30 years, it was learnt here on Monday.
Sources said that Turkmenistan conveyed to the ADB that it would submit the detailed report on Daultabad gas reverses in the next steering committee, to be held in Ashkabad.
An official of the Petroleum ministry, who is aware of the new development relating to Daultabad gas reserves and Turkmenistan's report to ADB, told this correspondent that the steering committee on TAP is scheduled to meet in Ashkabad in the first week of the next month.
TAP is one of three options that Islamabad is considering at the moment to import gas to meet its growing gas demand to sustain emerging economy. Other two options include Pak-Qatar and Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI)-gas pipelines.
TAP is a $6-7 billion project, it was conceived some seven years back. Although a number of steering committee meetings have been in different times, but its future depends on a sovereign grantee from Turkmenistan that Daultabad field has enough reserves that would be dedicated for tripartite gas project for its lifetime of 30 years.
Pakistan had raised the issue of third party certification of Daultabad gas reserves at the Islamabad meeting of steering committee held some time back and conveyed to the Turkmenistan's minister for Natural Resources, who represented his country, said that the steering committee will meet subject to its submission of third party certification of the field reserves.
The official added that Pakistan wants that Turkmenistan should present the third party certification and a sovereign grantee that it could dedicate enough gas for the project.
Islamabad is of the view that the third party certification could help parties to get funds from the international donors for this important project.
The official said: "In the next steering committee Pakistan would reiterate its demand that Turkmenistan should present third party certification of Daultabad gas reserves since meeting for the sake of meeting on the issue were of no use."
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