13 December Turkmenistan started construction of the section of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline as well as the third stage of development of the biggest gas field in the country Galkynysh, which will be the raw material for TAPI.
Turkmenistan President Gurbangulu Berdymohammadov, Afghanistan President Mohammad Ashraf Gani, Pakistani Premier Navaz Sharif and Indian Vice President Mohammad Khamid Ansari have taken place at the ceremony of laying foundation of the pipeline near Mary city, east of Turkmenistan.
214-km-long Turkmen section of TAPI will be built by the state concerns Turkmengas and Turkmenneftegasstroi.
The third stage of development of the Galkynysh field will be performed by the Japanese-Turkish consortium of the following companies: JGC, Mitsubishi, Itochu, Chiyoda, Sojitz, Chalik Group и Ronesans.
At the ceremony devoted to commencement of TAPI construction and a new stage of development of the gas field, Berdymohammadov said that implementation of the project will be beneficial not only for the gas exporting countries, transit countries and consumers, but will also give a powerful impetus to strengthening of peace, stability and development of international cooperation in the region. Turkmenistan President added that TAPI gas pipeline will be built in December 2009.
Mohammad Khamid Ansari said that TAPI will unite countries of the region and it will have a good impact on the area from the Bay of Bengal to the Caspian Sea.
At the ceremony of laying of the gas pipeline Navaz Sharif said that construction of TAPI gas pipeline will open unwitnessed perspectives of economic cooperation in the region. He added that the project implementation has become possible thanks to energy and perseverance of Turkmenistan President and thanked him for that.
Total length of the TAPI gas pipeline, which starts from the biggest gas field in Turkmenistan Galkynysh, will be about 1814 km.
The gas pipeline will pass through the Afghan cities of Great and Kandahar, Pakistan Kvetta and Multan and reach Fazilka settlement on the Pakistani-Indian border. 214 km of the gas pipeline will lie on the territory of Turkmenistan, 773 km on the territory of Afghanistan and 827 km on the territory of Pakistan. Capacity of the gas pipeline will be 33 billion cub.m. of gas a year.
As leader of the consortium Turkmengas will act as the main investor of the TAPI gas pipeline construction.
Afghan Gas Corporation, Pakistani private Inter State Gas Systems Limited and Indian GAIL, which will be the consortium partners, will also fund the project according to the approved share.
