to be raised later to . However, as a bilateral project between Iran and Pakistan, the pipeline will carry only of gas per year as contracted and as a maximum capacity. The pipeline has a diameter of . It is expected to cost US$7.5 billion and to be commissioned by 2013. It is expected that gas delivered from Iran through the pipeline will cost US compared to which is expected to be price of gas delivered through the proposed Trans-Afghanistan Pipeline and of imported LNG. Authorities blamed Lack of safety measures and old infrastructure for the Thursday 14 March 2019 explosion in a gas pipeline near the city of Mahshahr in southern Iran. One child, one woman and two others were killed in the explosion. Companies In different times several companies have been interested to build the pipeline. Companies included Gazprom, BHP, National Iranian Gas Company, Petronas, and Total. A consortium consisting of Royal Dutch Shell, BG Group, Petronas and an Iranian business group had negotiated on exporting of gas from South Pars to Pakistan. From India, GAIL had been involved. However, the pipeline's section in Iran was built by the National Iranian Gas Company. It used Khatam al-Anbia as a subcontractor. In Pakistan, Inter State Gas Systems is responsible for the construction of the pipeline. The contract for engineering, procurement, construction and financing of the Pakistan's section was signed with Iran's Tadbir Energy. Iran agreed to provide a $500 million loan for construction payable in 20 years. However, on 13-December-2013, Pakistan's Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that Iran refused to fund the project citing 'acute financial constraint' as the reason. Pakistan authorities however said to remain committed with the project. Both sides have decided to constitute a working group which would re-establish in two months the new parameters for the projects, including a new time-frame and other important issues involving financing of pipeline to be laid down in the territory of Pakistan. See also Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline Iran–Pakistan relations List of power stations in Iran List of power stations in Pakistan Energy in Iran References External links Iran-Pakistan-India Pipeline: A View from Washington by Gal Luft, 15 June 2007. Iran-Pakistan pipeline: Iran’s new lifeline by Gal Luft, 29 May 2009. 1994 in Pakistan 1994 in Iran Natural gas pipelines in Pakistan Natural gas pipelines in Iran Proposed pipelines in Asia Proposed energy infrastructure in Pakistan