Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, worth Rs 56,106 crore, is likely to be commissioned by 2017-18.

The four nations involved in the pipeline project are looking for a leader of the consortium that will build the1,680 km project. Asian Development Bank (ADB) has already been appointed as the transaction advisor for the project.

No international pipeline company is willing to implement the project unless Turkmenistan gives it a share in its gas fields.

Turkmenistan, which does not give foreign firms stake in its oil and gas fields, has refused to give any interest in the upstream project to the pipeline company.

ADB is helping the four nations form a credible consortium that will build and operate the line passing through volatile Afghanistan and Pakistan territories.

The TAPI pipeline will originate from Turkmenistan and pass through Afghanistan and Pakistan before entering India. It will have a capacity to carry 90 million standard cu mtr of gas per day for a 30 year period and will be operational in 2018.

India and Pakistan will get 38 million standard cu mtr while the remaining 14 million standard cu mtr will be supplied to Afghanistan.

The four nations in TAPI are inviting firms to become the consortium leader that will be responsible for the design, funding, building, control and subsequent operations of the pipeline.

TAPI will carry gas from Turkmenistan's Galkynysh field which holds gas reserves of 16 trillion cu feet. From the field, the pipeline will run to Herat and Kandahar province of Afghanistan, before entering Pakistan. In Pakistan, it will reach Multan via Quetta before ending at Fazilka (Punjab) in India.