Turkmenistan Reports Progress on TAPI Pipeline, Expands Gas Field Development Plans
DID Press: Turkmenistan says work on the Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India (TAPI) gas pipeline is advancing, as authorities review progress on the strategic regional energy project alongside new priorities for expanding the country’s oil and gas sector.
According to a statement from the state-owned Turkmennebit company, government officials reviewed the energy sector’s performance during the first seven months of 2026. The meeting included presentations from Turkmengaz, Turkmengeology, TAPI Pipeline Company Limited, and other state energy entities.
Officials said construction of the Serhetabat–Herat section of the TAPI pipeline is continuing in accordance with international standards. The meeting also emphasized expanding geological exploration, increasing drilling to discover new hydrocarbon reserves, boosting oil and natural gas production, and improving the quality of extracted resources.
The approximately 1,800-km TAPI pipeline is designed to transport up to 33 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas annually from Turkmenistan’s Galkynysh gas field to Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Ashgabat considers the project a cornerstone of its strategy to diversify gas exports and strengthen regional economic integration.
Gas supplies for the pipeline will come from the Galkynysh field, one of the world’s largest natural gas reserves, estimated to contain more than 27 trillion cubic meters of gas. In April 2026, Turkmengaz and the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) launched the fourth phase of the field’s development, including new production facilities and drilling operations expected to increase commercial gas output by up to 10 bcm annually.
Separately, the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard Kennedy School said in an analysis published in June 2026 that TAPI has re-emerged as a significant regional energy corridor capable of linking Turkmen gas supplies to the fast-growing markets of South Asia.