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Afghanistan seeks UAE investment in oil, gas sector

LAILA A ALI

QUETTA: Afghanistan has sought potential United Arab Emirates (UAE) investment in its oil and gas potential, diplomatic quarters stated here on Saturday.

According to these sources, Afghanistan has potential of 145 billion cubic metres (five trillion cubic feet) gas and 95 million barrels oil reserves. There are chances of more oil and gas deposits, exploration of which by the Afghan National Oil Company (Anoc) was disrupted during 1979 Soviet invasion. As now the Taliban government, has control over 90 percent of the Afghan territory, so Anoc would once again play its positive role for oil and gas exploration with the cooperation of the UAE and other friendly countries.

Necessary cooperation from the UAE is available to Afghanistan. At present Afghanistan is receiving refined oil and gas products from friendly neighbouring countries including Pakistan.

To a question, the sources said satisfactory headway has been made by Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkmenistan for gas pipeline project. All these three Muslim countries have resolved that 1,400 km-long pipeline from Daulatabad (Turkmenistan) to Multan (Pakistan) should be implemented with international cooperation.

Saudi Arabia, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, the sources added, are already closely associated with this gigantic project to pipe gas to Multan from Daulatabad.

Daulatabad is believed to be one of the world's biggest gasfields, producing 15 billion cubic feet of gas per year. It has potential for producing such quantum of gas for 30 years. The pipeline is scheduled to run about 500 km in Pakistan, 764 km in Afghanistan and 136 km in Turkmenistan.

To another question, sources said once the three-country gas pipeline is complete, it would serve as a catalyst for several other similar oil and gas-pipeline projects in the Central Asia and South Asia. This pipeline project, would also serve as a window for South Asia to get connected with Central Asia, for further economic, industrial and commercial growth in the region as sustainable and self-reliant to great extent.