The much-awaited inauguration of the White Oil Pipeline (WOPP) was performed by President General Pervez Musharraf in a colourful ceremony in Karachi on August 26, 2005.

     The 817-km US$480 million White Oil Pipeline has been completed and successfully put into commercial operation by Pak-Arab Pipeline Company Limited, a joint venture of PARCO, Shell, PSO and Caltex.

     On the occasion, President Pervez Musharraf said the new pipeline fulfills a long-felt need of augmenting and improving the existing means of supplying fuel to the upcountry areas to sustain and accelerate economic growth.

     The hard work by Pakistani and Chinese workers ensured the successful implementation of the project in a record time of 23 months.

     The pipeline has been laid down from Port Qasim, Karachi, to the Pak-Arab Refinery Company in Mahmood Kot, Multan, in Punjab.

     This line carries refined oil products from Karachi to Punjab, eliminating the increasing traffic burden on oil tankers.

     The pipeline, with a 26-inch diameter, has the capacity of carrying 12 million metric tons of oil per annum. Out of total cost of $480m, the foreign component stands at $120 million, while the local components stand at Rs. 20.657 billion.

     Three pushing stations have been constructed along the pipeline to push forward the crude oil in the pipeline.

      The supply of the crude oil through the pipeline not only saves the transportation charges but also provides clean environment and results in lesser pollution.