Pakistan, Turkmenistan ink JIP to accelerate work on TAPI

ISLAMABAD: In a major development, Turkmenistan and Pakistan have signed a Joint Implementation Plan (JIP) to accelerate work on the TAPI Gas Pipeline project in Islamabad on Thursday.

The JIP was signed by Minister of State for Petroleum Dr Musadik Malik from the Pakistan side and Maksat Babayev, State Minister and Head of TurkmenGaz, from the Turkmen side.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, senior cabinet functionaries, representatives from the Petroleum Division and Inter State Gas Systems (Pvt) Ltd.

The accord was signed at the end of two-day visit to Pakistan by a high-ranking Turkmenistan delegation headed by Maksat Babayev, Deputy Minister of Energy Annageldi Saparov, CEO and Chairman of BOD, TPCL, Muhammetmyrat Amanov. Turkmen Ambassador to Pakistan, Atadjan Movlamov, also accompanied the delegation.

The JIP envisages the constitution of a Senior Coordination Committee (SCC) to expedite and oversee the project activities.

The prime minister nominated Special Assistant to Prime Minister Dr Jehanzeb Khan to work as a focal person from the Pakistan side as the head of the SCC.

The Government of Pakistan also invited Turkmenistan to explore gas connectivity from Chaman border to Gwadar and building LNG terminals at Gwadar, which would expand supplies to Europe and global LNG markets.

The TAPI gas pipeline project aims at bringing natural gas from the Galkynysh gas field in Turkmenistan to Pakistan through Afghanistan.

The pipeline will transport up to 33 billion cubic metres (bcm) (average 3.2 BCFD) of natural gas per year over a 30-year period. The supply source is the Galkynysh gas field in the eastern region of Turkmenistan, whereas, Pakistan’s off-take will be 1.3 BCFD with a pipeline diameter of 56 inch.

The proposed route is supply source – Herat–Kandahar– Chamman–Zhob–DG Khan–Multan–Fazilika with a pipeline length of 1,849 kms. The engagements/interactions of the Turkmen delegation were characterised by mutual goodwill in a spirit of understanding, cooperation, and amity.

The Turkmen delegation offered its profound gratitude to its Pakistani “brothers” for their “traditional hospitality” and remained optimistic that bilateral ties between the two friendly countries would continue to expand in all spheres.

The TAPI project will be transformative towards the energy security of Pakistan. Low-cost gas supplies will make Pakistan’s industrial sector competitive worldwide and lead to far-reaching employment opportunities for the youth.

Pakistan continues to attach great importance to the TAPI gas pipeline project to meet emerging energy challenges for the country and as a manifestation of meaningful commercial, energy cooperation between Pakistan and Central Asia.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023