Posted on 12/09/2002 6:04:15 AM PST by jriemer
At both the 8AM and 9AM updates, NPR reported that Tajikistan has sent forces to Qutar and elsewhere in the Gulf region for training and "co-operative" exercises with the US. Since Tajikistan is a former Soviet republic and our ally in the Afgahan campaign, this should be taken with some interest...
jriemer
The "unocal" line wasn't oil, but for natural gas. It wasn't for "America" but for Pakistani domestic use. The gas wasn't from the "Caspian" but from East Uzbekistan fields, quite near the Afghan border.
All these facts got mixed up, if the conspiracy theorists cared anyway. Unocal gave up on the line, and an Argentinian company tried to push it through. The question that should be asked is why shouldn't Uz export its methane, and was it just local disruptions? Or did Saudi and Iran make sure this competitive line was built - they fomenting the disruptions?
This line to be built is apparently not the "Unocal" plan, but a line straight south through western Afstan to a Pakistani port, the methane to be LNG'd for export to East Asia most likely. Apparently the Paks' had secured other sources since 1996 and didn't need UZ gas anymore for domestic uses.
Interestingly, this line will promote Pakistan, Af and Uz to cooperate together - and the western Af warlords/provinces will be wary of Iranian shenanigans since Iran's interests to disrupt the line will hurt their own pockets.
Leaders of the three companies are meeting in Turkmenistan around Dec. 27 to ink the final deal or something. If a Russian company builds the line, well they're better located for such things.
For the greater region there are all sorts of "pipeline" plans - naturally, every contingency is thought thru, just like any engineering project. Anyway, there's going to be a meeting in Turkmenistan ar
Unocal's main project (CentGas) was to build a gas p/l from the Dauletabad field (onshore, not offshore-Caspian) in Eastern Turkmenistan through Afghanistan into Pakistan. We planned to construct a power generating plant in Pakistan to supply the growing Pakistani market. There were hopes to further the p/l into India in future years.
Secondarily there was an oil p/l project (CentGas) which would have paralleled the gas p/l and then split off going to to the sea for export.
Unocal gave up on the line, and an Argentinian company tried to push it through.
The Argentinian company (Bridas) was in T-stan prior to Unocal's arrival. Their plans were scuttled when Unocal signed a contract with the Turkmen and eventually led to a lawsuit that went nowhere. Bridas basically pulled out of the country while Unocal remained.
After we left, I believe Bridas made attempts, that later failed, to revive their project.
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