Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India are planning to select a company in September, to lead the construction of the $10bn TAPI natural gas pipeline.
Turkmenistan President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov said: "At this moment negotiations are entering the final stage, a consortium leader will be named in September, after which the implementation of the project will begin."
The 1,735km TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) pipeline is expected to boost gas exports from Turkmenistan, which is estimated to host fourth-largest natural gas reserves in the world. It is expected to create 12,000 jobs in Afghanistan.
The pipeline is planned to export around 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually from Turkmenistan’s Dauletabad and Galkynysh gas fields to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, reported Reuters.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the partners will explore a possibility of land-sea route through Iran to transport the gas.
Turkmenistan currently exports around 30bcm a year of fuel to China, and small volumes to Iran.
Russia imported over 40bcm gas from Turkmenistan in 2008, and is expected to buy around 4bcm this year.
The TAPI pipeline project has been delayed over security concerns and cost related issues.
An undisclosed Turkmen Government official said that the construction work on the pipeline is expected to commence in December.
Image: Turkmenistan exports natural gas to China, Russia, Iran and other countries. Photo: courtesy of Supakitmod / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.