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US-based consortium head likely for Turkmen-India gas pipeline

Mumbai/New Delhi
March 17, 2014
Source; http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/us-based-consortium-head-likely-for-turkmen-india-gas-pipeline-114031700065_1.html?



The $9-billion Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) gas pipeline project is likely to see an America-based consortium leader.
"Considering the terrorism-torn terrain of the project, we are looking for a US-based company with experience in building and operating the cross-country pipeline. Moreover, in a meeting held last month, the partners were keen to register Tapi Ltd in a place like New Jersey," said an official source.

Despite several roadshows in Singapore, New York and London, global majors were not keen to participate as a consortium leader, due to the Turkmen government's decision not to give participating stakes for the companies in hydrocarbon fields. Last February, the Indian government had given its nod to creation of Special Purpose Vehicle and for the participation of state-run GAIL (India) Ltd in the project. GAIL would invest $5 million (Rs 30 crore). The project is expected to be operational by 2017-18. The Asian Development Bank is transaction advisor.

"The consortium leader would build and operate the project, apart from arranging the funds and ensuring the delivery of gas, along with its security issues," the official added. GAIL has already struck an agreement with TurkmenGaz for importing 38 mscmd (million standard cubic metres a day) of natural gas through the pipeline for a 30-year period.

Meanwhile, there are disagreements between the Afghanistan and Pakistan governments over branches of the pipeline. According to reports, while Afghanistan wants a connection towards Peshawar, the preference of Pakistan is towards Lahore.

By the initial agreement, of the 90 mscmd to be handled by the pipeline, India and Pakistan would get 38 mscmd each while Afghanistan would receive 14 mscmd. "Security is a big challenge. Once this is addressed, Tapi is only a matter of time. The pipeline will open the floodgates of Commonwealth of Independent States' gas to our country," said a senior research scholar from The India-Central Asia Foundation, New Delhi.

M Veerappa Moily, minister for petroleum and natural gas, had during Petrotech 2014 said once the consortium was chosen, the pipeline would be built by 2017-18. "By August 2020, India will have Tapi gas," he'd said.

Planned Route Map detail

US Reiterate Preference of TAPI Over Iran-Pakistan Pipeline


January 19th, 2014
Source; http://www.naturalgasasia.com/us-reiterate-preference-of-tapi-over-iran-pakistan-pipeline-11550

United States has reiterated that Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project is not credible and it favours TAPI pipeline project instead.

In an interview given to local Pakistani Urdu daily Nawa-i-Waqt, Sara M. Baren, the US Consular on Economic Affairs in Pakistan said energy crisis in the South Asia nation has reached a critical stage and the government needs to expedite its efforts for the exploration of international options particularly the TAPI gas pipeline, reports English newspaper The Nation.

“The TAPI gas pipeline is viable option for Pakistan and Washington positively favours this long-term project as it would leave positive and durable economic impacts in the region as well as would increase closer interaction between the regional states,” Baren was quoted as saying.

She pointed that LNG import from Qatar is a good option and Pakistan should opt for this option.

On Iran, Baren said dialogue between US and Iran is long process and US position on Iran is clear to everyone.

Turkmenistan to assist Afghanistan’s economic revival


March 20 2014
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan,
Source: http://en.trend.az/regions/casia/turkmenistan/2254712.html?
While meeting with Chairman of the Afghan High Peace Council Salahuddin Rabbani, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov confirmed that he will support the international efforts aimed at economic recovery and prosperity in Afghanistan, Turkmen Dovlet Habarlary news agency reported on March 19.
"The president confirmed that Turkmenistan is firmly following its foreign policy based on the principles of peace, positive neutrality and broad partnership," according to the statement. "It intends to continue fully supporting the international efforts aimed at economic recovery and prosperity of Afghanistan and ensuring decent life of people."
Earlier, Turkmenistan was among the initiators of the peaceful settlement of the Afghan internal conflict. It assists its southern neighbor by supplying electricity on favorable terms, constructing industrial and social facilities and delivering humanitarian goods.
"The large-scale regional projects implemented in the fuel-energy and transport sectors and initiated by the Turkmen side is an important step towards strengthening the foundations of peaceful life in Afghanistan," according to the statement.
The matter rests in the construction of the Turkmenistan- Afghanistan-Pakistan- India (TAPI ) gas pipeline. While meeting with Rabbani, the Turkmen president expressed confidence that this project will be a worthy contribution to the dynamic development of Afghanistan and all regional countries.
Rabbani stressed that the Turkmen leader's constructive approaches of solving the Afghan problems, reflected in the relevant international initiatives will certainly serve the cause of peace and stability in his homeland.
A basic document for TAPI is the member-states' interstate agreement on launching the practical implementation of this project signed in Ashgabat in 2010. The main obstacle is instability in Afghanistan, but Kabul claims that it will be able to ensure the safety of the route.
Afghanistan will be able to meet its gas needs for 30 years due to a natural gas purchase-sale contract signed between the two countries in summer 2013, according to the Afghan side.
Afghanistan will annually purchase up to 500 million cubic meters of Turkmen gas, bring it up to one billion cubic meters in accordance with the contract for the first 10 years after commissioning the TAPI.

"Work on TAPI project to be completed in 3 yrs"

Date; Sun March 30, 2014
Source;http://www.afghanistantimes.af/news_details.php?id=6364&cid=1


KABUL: The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says work on technical issues of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project has been kicked off and would be completed in a year.
"The TAPI pipeline project will be completed in coming three years if the region's situation would be in favor of the project and as well as Turkmenistan and the winner company sign the contract as soon as possible," said Jalil Jamrani, the head of department of petroleum in the Mines and Petroleum Ministry.
He said the project would cost around $11 billion which would be paid y Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, India and Pakistan.
Jalil told this to Azadi Radio on Saturday.
He said that technical studies of the project would be completed in a year and these all depends on situation in the region and behavior of Turkmenistan with the winner company, and this is so important for the project.
The plan of TAPI pipeline project was drafted in 2002 between Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Turkmenistan and it was decided on that time that the project should be completed until 2017.
According to the project, gas pipeline would be transferred from Turkmenistan to India and Pakistan through Afghanistan.
The pipeline would pass through Herat, Farah, Nimroz and Helmand provinces of Afghanistan and would be connected to Pakistan through Speen Boldak port.
At least 500 million cubic meters of gas would be purchased from Turkmenistan in first 10 years after completion of the project, and this amount would be doubled after the first 10 years.
A number of analysts term the project as important for Afghanistan, and say India and Pakistan would pay $500 million annually for Afghanistan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan says they were struggling through diplomatic channels to complete the project as soon as possible.
"The project was introduced in five phases and the last phase of the project is in 2017. Three phases of the TAPI pipeline project have been completed yet. I am optimistic for the project because we have discussed the project with the three countries through diplomatic channels," Azadi Radio quoted Wahidullah Waisi, the director of Economic Cooperation Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as saying.
Recently a number of sources reportedly said that Iran was trying to disrupt the TAPI pipeline project in a bid to sell its gas to India and Pakistan.
Despite that the Ministry of Commerce of Afghanistan confirmed a number of such reports but the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum says there was no barrier for the project.

there is a battle going on it seems like, and its not on Iran, Afghanistan, India and Turkemistan that is invovled, even Saudi Arabia, is paying money to Pakistan, and US is involved as well. The rest is up t your imgainations guys... se the IP Thread; http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1616182&page=4

Turkmen President calls on to begin construction of TAPI gas pipeline in 2015


11.April.2015
Akipress

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said about a need to begin construction of Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline in 2015, local media reported.

All the documents for implementation of TAPI gas pipeline project should be prepared and signed in 2014, the construction need to start in 2015, Berdimuhamedov said at a conference on oil and gas sector.

Earlier, the launch of TAPI was scheduled for 2017. The gas pipeline will have a length of 1,735 kilometers. Design capacity - more than 30 billion cubic meters of gas per year. Estimated project cost is $8 billion.

Work on TAPI project to kick off in 2015: Official

12.april.2014
Afghanistan Times



KABUL: Terming the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) or Trans-Afghanistan pipeline project as important for the country's economy, officials in the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum say they were ready to kick off work on the project in 2015, as per repeated suggestions from Turkmenistan.

According to the Mines and Petroleum Ministry, preliminary works on the project including survey and some other works have been kicked off on the TAPI project and at least $5 million has been allocated by the government in this regard.

The director of the Mine and Petroleum Ministry's Development Programs, Abdul Jalil Jamrani, said the Afghan side struggles to start work on TAPI project as soon as possible.

"Technical works of the project have been started and we hope that kick off construction works of the project at the beginning of 2015. The technical works of the project will take one year. Construction of the project will take at least three years and gas will be transferred to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India until the end of 2017 or beginning of 2018," he added.

Agreement of the project was inked between Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan and India in 2010.
It is said that at least $11 billion has been invested on the project that has the capacity of transferring around 33 billion cubic meters of natural gas in a year.

Azadi Radio quoted Taj Mohammad Akbar, a lecturer in Economy Faculty of Kabul University, as saying that the Afghan government should act responsibly and serious regarding the TAPI project.

Pakistan and Turkmenistan review progress on TAPI
9 August
Source; http://www.nation.com.pk/business/09-Aug-2014/pakistan-and-turkmenistan-review-progress-on-tapi?
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan and Turkmenistan on Friday reviewed the progress on the important Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and decided to accelerate efforts for the implementation of the project.It was reviewed during the 4th session of Pakistan-Turkmenistan Joint Governmental Commission held here on August 7 and 8.
The Inaugural session was co-chaired by Adviser to the Prime Minister on National Security & Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz and Deputy Chairman of Cabinet of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov. Both the countries discussed the possibilities of expansion of cooperation in sphere of Oil and Gas, particularly participation in exploration and production of Oil and Gas projects and services. They noted possibilities of power export from Turkmenistan and agreed on holding meeting of Joint Working Group in the near future for further discussion on this issue.
Both the countries also agreed to hold first meeting of Pakistan-Turkmenistan Working Group on Trade Development as well as Joint Business Forum before the end of 2014. They expressed interest in exchange of expertise in the sphere of seed farming of crops and quality assessment of cotton seeds. A meeting of Joint Working Group on Agriculture will be held by the end of 2014. Both the countries also agreed on the necessity of cooperation in the field of road transport and possibility of conclusion of the Draft Agreement between the two sides on Transit Traffic.

Penspen Awarded Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India (TAPI) Pipeline Feasibility Study
13-10-2014 Penspen Offical News

Penspen has been awarded a contract by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to carry out a technical feasibility study for a proposed 1820km, 56in. diameter pipeline from Turkmenistan’s giant Galkynysh Gas Field, to serve energy markets in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Penspen’s scope of work includes a review of the proposed route, confirmation of hydraulics including compressor station size and location, provision of cost estimates and development of project execution strategy and schedule.

Penspen has awarded a sub-contract to the Netherlands-based Royal HaskoningDHV an international engineering, consultancy and project management firm to undertake the important environmental and social safeguards components of the study.
The Technical Feasibility Study is expected to take 6 months to complete, following which, Penspen and Haskoning will provide on-going support to ADB during the investor selection process.

Peter O’ Sullivan, Penspen’s Chief Executive said:
“We are proud to be involved in this major project, which will enable Turkmenistan to monetise a part of its vast natural gas reserves, by opening a southerly route to the energy-hungry markets of South Asia”.