Uzbekistan seeking to invest in TAPI gas pipeline project

Uzbekistan is seeking to invest in mega gas pipeline project involving Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, 1tvnews reported.

Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum welcomes Uzbekistan's interest in TAPI project, but says that it would be TAPI Limited company which would take final decision in selecting contracting companies.

800 kilometers of the pipeline would be in Afghanistan. The route of the pipeline has been determined and efforts are underway for land acquisition.

Uzbek Gas and Petroleum company has expressed interest in building the pipeline and carrying out excavation works.

However, the company has also expressed its concern regarding security situation in Afghanistan.

Qadir Mutfi, a spokesman for Afghanistan's Ministry of Mines and Petroleum, said that Afghanistan has role in TAPI project as much as five percent of its share, adding it would be TAPI Limited which could select the investing companies.

The pipeline's total length is 1,814 kilometers.

It will pass Afghanistan's Herat, Farah, Nimroz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces before entering Pakistan.

Abdul Basir Azimi, an economic expert, believes joint investment by foreign companies in TAPI would benefit Afghanistan.

Afghanistan would purchase 500 million cubic meters of gas from Turkmenistan annually in the first 10 years. Its share would increase three-fold in the years that follow.