Pakistan Stream gas pipeline construction protocol signed to start practical implementation
Pakistan and Russia have signed an agreement to build the Pakistan Stream natural gas pipeline.
Pakistani Ambassador to Russia Shafqat Ali Khan and Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov signed a document enabling to start practical implementation of the Pakistan Stream gas pipeline construction project.
The 1,100-km project, formerly known as the North-South Pipeline, plans to carry 12.4 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually.
The project which will contribute to Pakistan’s energy security, connecting the receiving liquefied gas (LNG) terminals in the ports of Karachi and Gwadar with power plants and industrial consumers of gas in the Punjab province of the country.
“The construction of the Pakistani Stream gas pipeline remains the flagship project of bilateral cooperation between Russia and Pakistan in the energy sector” Russian Energy Minister Nikolai Shulginov said.
“Relevant authorities of our countries completed a large amount of work on the preparation of this protocol. Its signing will enable our companies to start practical implementation of this project as soon as possible, thereby helping the Pakistani side to strengthen its energy security and increase the use of natural gas as an environmentally pure energy source,” the Russia ministry said.
The agreement on the construction of the gas pipeline project was signed in October 2015 but it has been postponed several times.