Eurasian Energy Futures Initiative Nonresident Senior Fellow Micha’el Tanchum writes for The Diplomat on new financial backing recently announed for the TAPI pipeline, just weeks before the groundbreaking ceremony:
Construction on the long-stalled Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) natural gas pipeline will soon commence with ground-breaking ceremonies scheduled for December 13. In the run-up to the start of construction the previously troubled pipeline project is poised to receive new financial backing from an international oil company based in the United Arab Emirates as well new geopolitical support from Kazakhstan, both increasing the prospect of TAPI’s long term viability.
The TAPI pipeline is slated to transport 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas from Turkmenistan’s massive Galkynysh field to neighboring South Asia, offering some stability to energy-starved Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as helping to meet the Indian economy’s own skyrocketing demand. TAPI will provide Afghanistan with 14 million standard cubic meters a day (mmscmd) of natural gas, while India and Pakistan will each receive 38 mmscmd.