Pakistani Cabinet Approves Gwadar-Nawabshah LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project

Pakistan cabinet’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) on Thursday approved construction of 700km Gwadar-Nawabshah gas pipeline, reported Dawn, a local newspaper.

The pipeline would also facilitate Iran-Pakistan pipeline project if international sanctions on Tehran go, the newspaper said.

The meeting presided over by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar approved the Gwadar-Nawabshah LNG Terminal and Pipeline Project under which a 700km pipeline of 42-inch diameter would be laid along with two compressor stations.

The terminal will have the capacity to handle up to 500 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas.

Interstate Gas Systems Limited (ISGS) will be authorised to execute the project, Dawn reported.

According to Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, the government would lay the pipeline “as an alternate plan” in view of international sanctions working against Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline.

After the completion of Gwadar-to-Nawabshah pipeline, only about 70km of pipeline segment between Gwadar and Iranian border would be left which could be constructed immediately whenever international sanctions are lifted against Tehran, the newspaper reported.