ISLAMABAD : The inaugural ceremony of TAPI is likely to be held in March 2019 in Pakistan and the head of states all four partners countries would be requested to attend the ceremony. This was stated by Chief Executive Officer (CEO), TAPI Pipeline Company Ltd Muhammetmyrat Amanov, said this in a meeting with Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Federal Minister for Energy (Petroleum Division) here. During the meeting TAPI pipeline and mutual collaboration among the partner states was discussed. Federal Minister for petroleum said on the occasion, that first inter government agreement of TAPI was signed in 2010.Thus this project should be completed at the earliest. CEO TAPI Limited desires to have an inaugural ceremony in March 2019 in Pakistan. At the ceremony it will request head of states of all 4 countries to attend the formality. Federal Minister further added that the total pipe length is 1680 km (from Turkmenistan through Afghanistan and Pakistan up to Pak-India border).The total gas volume is 3.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day. The estimated cost of the project is $8.5 billion. Turkmengaz was nominated as consortium leader in August 2015 with 85% shareholding and Pakistan, India and Afghanistan having 5% shares each. The gas sales and purchase agreement for TAPI had been signed in 2013 under which it was agreed that the gas price at the Turkmenistan border would be around 20% lower than the Brent crude price.
The groundbreaking of TAPI pipeline took place in December 2015 which will help control the energy shortage of member states of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.
Under the agreement Turkmenistan will make an investment of around $24 billion to deliver around 3.2 bcfd of gas for 25 years( after the inauguration of project). Out of the total investment $15 billion will be poured into developing the gas field whereas the remaining will be spent on laying of the pipeline.The meeting was also attended by Atadjan Movlamov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan Mubeen Saulat, MD, ISGSC and Sher Afghan Khan, Additional Secretary Petroleum.
