Pakistan on Wednesday signed an agreement with Russia for offshore oil and gas exploration activities, besides laying a pipeline to supply gas to the country from the Middle East through the sea link.
Inter State Gas Systems Limited (ISGSL) of Pakistan Managing Director Mobin Saulat and Deputy Chairman Gazprom International of Russia Vitaly A Markelov signed an inter-corporate agreement, a Petroleum Division press release said. Minister for Petroleum Ghulam Sarwar Khan witnessed the signing ceremony between the two companies.
Appreciating the expanding trajectory of relations between Russia and Pakistan, the minister welcomed the Gazprom’s interest in off-shore gas pipeline project and termed it a manifestation of multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. “This project envisages transporting of gas molecules from Gazprom’s sources in the Middle East onwards to Pakistan with a possibility in extending it further to South Asian countries,” he said. “The pipeline will follow an integrated approach including other ancillary projects such as underground gas storage, desalination and other power projects,” he added.
Under the agreement, Pakistan will import some 500 million to 1 billion cubic feet gas per day from Russia, which would be transported via sea link. The pipeline construction is expected to be completed in three to four years.
The Russian side thanked Pakistan for the facilitation being extended in preparing necessary groundwork for the project, renewing the commitment to further enhance the existing energy cooperation between the two countries.
Published in Daily Times, February 7th 2019.
