In a significant development, Pakistan has been advised to delay any commitment to gas intake from Turkmenistan under the TurkmenistanAfghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) pipeline project until at least 2031, The News reported on Friday.
The recommendation, by international energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie, comes as Pakistan is already facing a surplus of imported LNG, due to a dramatic decline in domestic gas consumption, a senior official from the Ministry of Energy told the scribe.
The advisory has sparked urgent deliberations within the Petroleum Division, where senior officials are now seriously considering either notifying Turkmenistan of a potential deferment or even withdrawing from the $13 billion TAPI gas pipeline.
The warning comes amid growing challenges in managing Pakistan’s existing LNG contracts and infrastructure.