LA PAZ, Oct. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Bolivian government on Wednesday confirmed its plan to construct a natural gas pipeline to link Uruguay via Paraguay.

    Energy Minister Oscar Coca said the pipeline, to be known as "Urupabol" (Uruguay-Paraguay-Bolivia), had drawn investment interest from the World Bank, Andean Corporation of Foment and Inter-American Development Bank.

    Experts estimated that at least 3 billion U.S. dollars were needed to construct the pipeline running from Tarija of Bolivia to Uruguay via Puerto Casado of Paraguay.

    Bolivia has been exporting natural gas to Argentina and Brazil and is planning to expand exports to Uruguay, Paraguay and Chile.

    "Uruguay is a totally new market," said the energy minister, "This is therefore a project of broad significance. With a use life of 40 to 50 years, it is another project of the state designed to expand gas exports in the future."