Engineering Post Report
At least four major gas pipeline projects in collaboration with neighbouring countries are in hand for improving natural gas supplies and distribution in view of the increasing demand by domestic, industrial and other sectors in the country.
Off-Shore Gas Pipeline Project: A $ 10 billion Off Shore Gas Pipeline project between Pakistan and Russia is under process.
In this regard, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Energy of the Islamic Republic pf Pakistan and Ministry of Energy of Russian Federation on September 27, 2018.
Pakistan will important some 0.5 to 1.0 billion cubic feet of gas daily from Russia transported via sea link.
Iran-Pakistan (IP)Gas Pipeline Project: Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline Project (IP) envisaging laying of 42 inches 1931 kms pipeline having 750 MMCFD capacity could not proceed well due to the US sanctions on Iran.
Recently, Pakistan was engaged with Iran on this important project through exchange of high-level delegations from and to Iran. Both countries have subsequently resolved to the IP project to carry it forward with mutual consensus and accord.
North-South Gas Pipeline Project: To meet the growing demand it is planned to undertake laying of about 1100 km of gas pipeline from Karachi to Lahore under this project which will carry 1.2 BCFD gas. This particular segment will be capable of take injection from Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas at Multan in addition to LNG supplied from Karachi Terminal.
Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) Gas Pipeline Project: Physical construction was started sometime back on TAPI pipeline with 56-inch dia,1680 km length and gas volume of 3.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (bcfd) expected first gas flow under phase-1 by 2021.
But much of this important project depends on the security, peace and bilateral relations between the countries involved . Much as such hinges in this regard on Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan and India, both of which are quite hostile towards Pakistan in varying degrees and as such the future of this project is very much doubtful to day the lease.
