LAHORE: The federal government has asked the ministry of petroleum and natural resources to speed up the preparatory work for laying 1,680km-long 56-inch diameter gas pipeline under an operational agreement on launching Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (Tapi) gas pipeline project.

Keeping in view the agreement, the ministry and the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) have finalised the southern route, giving a go ahead to the senior officials concerned to get the requisite work initiated without wasting time.

Also read: Operational accord on Tapi gas pipeline signed

Officials say since Tapi is the key project to bridge demand and supply gap of the natural gas, the Interstate Gas Systems Limited (ISGSL), a subsidiary of the ministry, has already completed homework for confirmation of Tapi pipeline configurations keeping in view the study that was previously got conducted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through a British consultancy PENSPEN.

“The design capacity of the pipeline is 3.2 billion cubic feet per day. It is proposed to lay a 56-inch diameter and 1,680km pipeline from Turkmenistan through Heart and Kandhar in Afghanistan, cross the Pakistan border near Chaman to pass from Zhob, DG Khan, Multan and onwards to Fazilka near Pakistan–India border,” reads a recent report on Tapi.

It says that engineering consultants are also updating the existing feasibility study on Tapi.

It further points out that previously there were two options – using southern or northern routes. The stakeholders agreed on using the southern side finally. Though the SNGPL could take any of the routes, the summary states that the southern side was finalised after the SSGC declared it viable.

“In various discussions, it has been decided that Multan (southern route) will be takeoff point for SNGPL while Quetta for SSGCL,” the report reads, while quoting various meetings on the plan.

The report mentions the map indicating two routes that were proposed earlier. “Under the northern route (if adopted), the pipeline was to be laid up to Daulatabad (Turkmenistan) from Lahore via Islamabad and Peshawar inside Pakistani territory and Jalalabad, Kabul, Pol-e-Khomri, Mazar Sharif and Shebarchan inside Afghan territory. And approved southern route mentions laying pipeline up to Daulatabad gas field (Turkmenistan) from Multan via DG-Khan, Loralai, Bostan and Chaman on Pakistan’s soil and Kandhar and Herat in Afghanistan.

According to an official, Pakistan and India will get about 42pc (each) of the gas, while Afghanistan will get rest of the gas. “Since the government is very keen to launch civil work as early as possible, we will complete the preparatory work soon,” the official added.

Published in Dawn, September 14th, 2014