Turkmenistan to begin construction on $10bn TAPI gas pipeline in December

Turkmenistan is all set to commence construction on the $10bn Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline in December.

The proposed TAPI pipeline project, which will transport Caspian Sea natural gas from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan and to India for a period of 30 years, has been long-delayed as it passes through Afghanistan.

Proposed by the Central Asian country, the project is backed by the US and the Asian Development Bank.

Türkmengaz, the national gas company of Turkmenistan was selected to lead the pipeline consortium in August.

The 1,735km long pipeline will be 1,420mm in diameter and has a working pressure of 100 standard atmospheres.

Initial capacity of the pipeline is expected to be 27 billion m³ of natural gas a year of which two billion m³ will be provided to Afghanistan and 12.5 billion m³ to each Pakistan and India.

The capacity will be later on increased to 33 billion m³ and six compressor stations would be constructed along the pipeline.

Originally, the pipeline was expected to be operational last year.

The pipeline, which will be filled with gas from Turkmenistan’s mammoth Galkynysh field, will allow the country to supply gas to new consumers in Asia without depending on China.

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Image: Map of route of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India pipeline. Photo: courtesy of U.S. Government.