The Hindu Business Line : Caspian gas pipeline — India for including Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan

The Petroleum Minister, Mr Mani Shanker Aiyar, with the Minister for Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade, Uzbekistan, Mr Rustam Sodykovich Azimov, during the bilateral meeting between the two countries in the Capital on Saturday. — Kamal Narang

New Delhi , Nov. 26

INDIA has suggested that Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan could also be included in the Asian Development Bank supported Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) gas pipeline to tap the Caspian gas.

The country, which is also considering joining the project, has suggested laying a crude pipeline from Azerbaijan to the Arabian Sea to bring Caspian oil to the world's fastest growing consumption centre.

The Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, after holding wide-ranging bilateral discussions with the heads of delegations from Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, China and Turkmenistan, suggested to Mr Idriz Rzabeyov, Head of Energy Department, Ministry of Energy, Azerbaijan, that the TAP pipeline should start in Azerbaijan and culminate in India.

Addressing mediapersons after the meeting, Mr Aiyar said India had been invited for the next meeting of the Steering Committee on TAP pipeline as observer before committing to join the project.

He said that he had told the Uzbekistan Minister for Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade, Mr Rustam Sodykovich Azimov, that Uzbekistan gas reserves should also flow through the TAP pipeline. As regards gas reserves in Turkemistan and what would be available for TAP pipeline, Mr Aiyar said, ``the gas reserve figure told to me was very high, much beyond what was being talked about.'' Turkmenistan, he said, had assured that the country had enough gas reserves for TAP after meeting commitments to Russia. During the bilateral meetings with the three countries, Indian companies also showed interest in exploring for oil and gas and participating in downstream refining and petrochemical business.

Mr Aiyar said Indian Oil Corporation (IndianOil) was interested in downstream oil refinery, petrochemical and LNG collaborations with Uzbekistan, while ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) had shown interest in acquiring stake in Turkmenistan's state-owned oil and gas company.

The Minister also said that OVL was keen on exploring for oil and gas in Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, while IndianOil was looking to participate in upgradation of a refinery in Turkmenistan.

Mr Aiyar also proposed to host a seminar in the first quarter of 2006-07 for the participants of the Baku-Tiblisi-Cehyan (BTC) oil pipeline (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey).

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