Timeline of Competition between Unocal and Bridas for the Afghanistan Pipeline
Timeline of Competition between Unocal and Bridas for the Afghanist...
The Principal Players: Unocal | Bridas (Bridas has since merged with BP Amoco Argentina) 1992 |
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| January | Gas exploration rights for Yashlar block in eastern Turkmenistan awarded to Argentine firm; Bridas Production profits to be split 50-50 between Bridas and Turkmenistan government. |
| 1993 | |
| February | Bridas awarded Keimir Oil and Gas Block in western Turkmenistan. 75-25 split in profits, in favor of Bridas. |
| March | President Niyazov of Turkmenistan hires Alexander Haig (former U.S. National Security Adviser) to lobby for increased U.S. investment in Turkmenistan. and for a softening of position on pipelines through Iran. |
| 1994 | |
| September | Bridas prevented from exporting oil from Keimir Block. |
| November | Working group established to study gas pipeline routes. Taliban capture Kandahar. |
| 1995 | |
| January | Keimir Block deal is renegotiated. Bridas's share of profits reduced to 65 percent. Oil exports allowed. |
| March | Benazir Bhutto, Prime Minister of Pakistan, and Turkmen president Niyazov conduct feasibility study of Afghan pipeline. |
| April | Turkmenistan and Iran to build first 180 miles of proposed pipeline via Iran to Turkey. United States oppose financing pipeline through Iran. Turkmen officials in Texas at invitation of Bridas. While there, they also meet meet Unocal officials. |
| August | Oil and gas discovered by Bridas at Yashlar. Bridas representatives meet Taliban for first time. |
| October | President Niyazov signs agreement in New York with Unocal/Delta. |
| December | Ban on Bridas's oil exports from Keimir imposed by Turkmenistan for second time. |
| 1996 | |
| February | Agreement between Afghan government and Bridas signed. Suit filed by Bridas in Texas against Unocal/Delta for interference in its business in Turkmenistan. |
| March | U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan, Tom Simmons, urges Bhutto to give exclusive rights to Unocal. Bhutto offended and demands apology. |
| May | Turkmenisatn, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan agree that Turkmenistan should name the consortium to build the pipeline. Opening of 100-mile railway route linking Turkmenistan and Iran. |
| August | Unocal/Delta and Turkmenistan's Turkmenrosgaz along with Russia's Gazprom enter into agreement for pipeline project. |
| Septmeber | Unocal says it will give aid to to Afghan warlords once they agree to form a council to supervise the project. Taliban take Kabul. |
| October | Unocal expresses suport for Taliban takover, saying it makes pipeline project easier. Unocal later says it was misquoted. |
| November | Bridas signs agreement with Taliban and Gen. Dostum to build pipeline. |
| December | Turkey to buy Turkmen gas through Iran. |
| 1997 | |
| January | Turkmenistan signs exploration agreement with Mobil and Monument Oil. U.N. Under Secretary General Akashi criticizes oil companies and warlords for pipeline projects. |
| February | Taliban in Washington to seek recognition. Taliban meet with Unocal. Taliban travel to Argentina as guests of Bridas. Upon return, Taliban meet with Saudi Intelligence chief, Prince Turki al-Faysal, in Jeddah. |
| March | Unocal sets up office in Kandahar; Bridas does likewise in Kabul. |
| April | Taliban announce criteria for awarding contract: The company that starts work first wins. |
| Unocal President John Imle baffled by statement. | |
| June | Unocal says peace is necessary for construction of pipeline, otherwise the project could take years. Bridas officials meet Taliban and say that they are "interested in beginning work in any kind of security situation." |
| July | Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Unocal sign new contract extending Unocal's deadline by one year to start project by December 1998. In a policy shift, United Staes says it will not object to Turkmenisatn-Turkey pipeline through Iran. |
| August | Shell's Alan Parsley meets Niyazov and promises help on Turkmenistan-Turkey pipeline. Taliban say Bridas offer better terms and expect to enter into agreement with them. |
| September | Turkmenistan opens tenders for oil companies to take up new concessions along the Caspian. Niyazov, 57, has heart operation in Munich—concern grows about his health, and who would replace him should he die. Bridas sells 60 percent of the company's stakes in Latin America to Amoco. The two agree to form a new company to run operations jointly. Taliban delegation in Argentina to discuss pipeline deal with Bridas. |
| October | Taliban delegation visits Ashkhbad and agrees to set up tripartite commission with Pakistan and Turkmenistan to explore Unocal pipeline project. Centgas Pipeline Ltd. formed in Ashkhabad: Unocal owns 46.5 percent, Delta Oil owns 15 percent, Turkmenistan's national gas company owns 7 percent, Itochu Oil owns 6.5 percent, Inpex owns 6.5 percent, Crescent Group owns 3.5 percent, Hyundai Engineering owns 5 percent. Taliban undecided which consortium to join. |
| November | Taliban in United States to visit Unocal and U.S. State Department officials. |
| December | Turkmenistan and Iran inaugarate 120-mile-long gas pipeline between the two countries. |
| 1998 | |
| January | Bridas awarded US$50 million by International Court of Arbitration in Paris for money owed by Turkmen government for refined products provided to Keimir refinery. |
| February | Gazprom pulls out of Unocal consortium, shares re-distributed, giving Unocal 54 percent. |
| March | Unocal says pipeline on hold as unfeasible because of Afghan war. Turkmenistan anxious for work to begin soon. Unocal asks Pakistan to extend deadline to October 1998. Deadline cannot be met, says Unocal, because of Afghan civil war. |
| June | Objections to Afghan pipeline deal by some shareholders at Unocal's annual meeting. Unocal says it has spent US$10-15 million on the project since 1995 and intends to give US$1 million to Afghan charities in 1998. |
| August | After U.S. missile strikes against Afghanistan, Unocal suspends pipeline project and asks American staff to leave. |
| September | Environmentalists in California ask Attorney General to dissolve Unocal for crimes against humanity, the environment, and for its relationship with the Taliban. |
| October | A Texas judge dismisses Bridas's US$15 billion suit against Unocal for preventing them developing gas fields in Turkmenistan. Judge says dispute covered by Turkmen and Afghan law, not Texas law. |
| November | Unocal withdraws from a US$2.9 billion pipeline project to bring natural gas from Turkmenistan to Turkey. |
| December | Citing low oil prices, concerns over Osama bin Laden, and pressure from women's groups, Unocal withdraws from Afghan pipeline consortium. Unocal also announces a 40 percent drop in capital spending for 1999 because of low oil prices. |
| 1999 | |
| January | Turkmenistan's foreign minister visits Pakistan; says pipeline project still alive. |
| February | Carlos Bulgheroni, co-chairman of Bridas, visits Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Russia for talks with leaders. |
| March | Turkmenistan's Foreign Minister Sheikh Muradov meets with Mullah Omar in Kandahar to discuss pipeline. |
| April | Pakistan, Turkmenistan, and Taliban sign agreement to revive pipeline project. |
| May | Taliban delegation signs agreements with Turkmenistan to buy gas and electricity. |
This timeline owes a heavy debt to Ahmed Rashid's excellent study, Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil, and Fundamentalism in Central Asia (Yale UP, 2000). Wherever possible, the information has been cross-checked against Unocal and BP Amoco Argentina's archives of press releases, Pratt's Oil Digest, Oil and Gas Magazine, Pravda, Moscow's Interfax News Agency, the ITAR-TASS news agency and the U.S. Department of Energy
"THE PIPELINE PLOTS, PART ONE"
Still wondering why there are still US troops in Afghanistan?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Maria De Wind on
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Permalink Reply by Nota Khan on
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Thanks but let's not forget things did not end in 1999 and continues to this day.
I would go so far as to say the attack on Afghanistan was NOT because of 9/11 but directly related to that very pipeline. Remember the offer: "A carpet of gold or a carpet of bombs"? Well we know now the choice Taliban made ;-)
Let's also not forget the fact that the puppet -- Karzai -- was (and IS!) a consultan for UNOCAL. And that the "pipeline" is still very much alive. Here is a story from late last year from a Pakistani daily:
Agreement reached on Tapi gas pipeline
(BTW: It's main competitor, as far as Pakistan is concerned, Iran-Pakistan-India (IPI) has beeen effectively killed by twisting India's arm making them withdraw from it.)
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Of course !
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