By an OGJ correspondent
KARACHI, Apr. 18 -- Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan have signed a protocol supporting the long-delayed, multibillion-dollar Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) gas pipeline, said Pakistan's Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Amanullah Khan Jadoon. At a briefing Apr. 13 following a 2-day trilateral steering committee meeting in Karachi, Jadoon also reiterated that the Asian Development Bank has deemed the 1,600-km pipeline project "viable and feasible" (OGJ Online, Jan. 21, 2005).
Meeting participants Turkmenistan Oil Minister Amangeldi Pudakov and Afghan Minister for Mines and Industry Mir Muhammad Siddique also were present at the briefing.
The Afghan minister said his country would take all precautions to protect the proposed pipeline, including the formation of a special security task force and the use of international security forces, the Afghan police, and the Afghan National Army.
The ministers said the design and route of the $3.3 billion pipeline have yet to be finalized and would depend on funding availability and investor terms and conditions.
Asked about US pressure on Pakistan to drop the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India pipeline project—despite the availability of cheap gas from Iran—Jadoon said a decision would be made in Pakistan's best interests.
Pakistan also is considering three other options to meet its future energy needs: LNG imports and pipelines from Iran and Qatar. Jadoon said the government must ensure a smooth supply of energy to sustain the country's economic growth.
Jadoon said a US consultant has issued a preliminary report finding that Turkmenistan has enough gas reserves to meet Pakistan's requirement of 3 bcfd for 30 years.
However, he added, a more-detailed report will be issued prior to the next meeting of the steering committee, which will be held in Ashakabad in July.
