Thaindian News

Hojjatollah Ghanimifard, the special representative on gas project, led the Iranian side to the talks while Secretary Petroleum Farrukh Qayyum led the Pakistan team.

The Iranian team left yesterday for home.

Under the earlier proposed 7.3 billion dollar Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) mega project, Islamabad was to import 3.15 billion cubic feet (bcf) per day from Iran (1.05 bcf per day under phase 1 and 2.1 bcf under phase II). However, India was to import 1.05 bcf per day in Phase I and 3.20 bcf in Phase II).

According to the official who attended the meeting, both Iran and Pakistan have decided to materialize the IP project and to make the project economically viable.

The authorities concerned in Islamabad have placed new offer that Pakistan would import five billion cubic feet per day gas through the pipeline having radius of 56 inches.

“We have also asked the Iranian authorities that the gas to be imported from Iran can also be exported to China in the shape of LNG (liquefied natural gas) as the western part of the China is short of energy. If it happens, then the project would become further economically viable.”

The LNG terminal would be made in Gwadar where the proposed IP pipeline would reach and the piped gas would be converted into LNG for export to China through proposed railways line from Gwadar to western part of China.

The Ministry of Railways is vigorously studying the feasibility of laying tracks from Gwadar to China. The official said that Pakistan had also extended offer to Iran to establish its own terminal in Pakistan, reports The Tehran Times.

When asked if Pakistan had managed to include a clause in the final draft of the agreement which would make Iran bound to uninterrupted supply of gas, the official said that Pakistani experts were very careful in this regard and would ensure the inclusion of every kind of clause that would ensure uninterrupted supply of gas to Pakistan. (ANI)