The construction of the US$10bn TAPI (Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline has officially started in Turkmenistan. Commissioning is expected in 2018.
The project is developed by Turkmenistan's state-owned company Turkmengaz, which will build the 1,800 km long pipeline. The project will start from the Galkynysh field (former South Yoiotan Osman field) that holds gas reserves of 16 tcf (more than 450 bcm) in Turkmenistan, running through Herat and Kandahar province of Afghanistan to Quetta and Multan in Pakistan before ending at Fazilka (Punjab) in India. The TAPI gas pipeline will be able to transport 90 mcm/day of gas (33 bcm/year), with 14 mcm/day of gas (5.1 bcm/year) delivered in Afghanistan and 38 mcm/day of gas (nearly 14 bcm/year) each in Pakistan and India. India could raise its imports to up to 44 mcm/d (16 bcm/year) as Afghanistan plans to cut its future imports to 1.5 mcm/d (0.5 bcm/year).