“The BHP consortium is fast completing the feasibility study of the project and hopefully it would be completed by November”, our correspondent in India reports. The feasibility study is being finance by the Iranian government, as it wants to have the project ready at the earliest possible time. “Both the governments of Iran and India are showing keen interest in the project and are trying various options to execute it expeditiously,” our correspondent says.
The BHP proposed project is an onshore gas pipeline starting from Iran’s Poros field, passing through Pakistan and terminating in India. However, the route of the pipeline is not finalized, and the Iranians have held negotiations with India on the route of the pipeline. The proposed project of Iran-Pakistan-India envisages a 56in diameter pipeline from Poros to Multan after covering a distance of 2,670km to deliver 3.3 billion cubic feet (BCF) of gas.
However, India fears from security point of view as the pipeline is to pass through Pakistan, who might cause problems for the safe passage of the pipeline. According to our correspondent, the Pakistani government has given full assurance for the safe passage of the pipeline as it could be a ‘Peace Pipeline’ between the two countries.