West-East Gas Pipeline

The West-East Gas Pipeline is a convert|4000|km|mi|-2 long pipeline, which runs from Lunnan in Xinjiang to Shanghai. The pipeline pass through 66 counties in the 10 provinces in China.cite news | title = China proposes construction of 2nd west-east gas pipeline | publisher = People's Daily Online | date = 2006-03-11 | url = http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200603/11/print20060311_249910.html | accessdate = 2007-05-12] Natural gas transported by the pipeline is used for electricity production in the Yangtze River Delta area. There is a plan to replace use of coal by gas in Shanghai by 2010.

History

The construction of the West-East Gas Pipeline started in 2002 and it was put into operation on 1 October 2004. The pipeline is owned and operated by the Natural Gas and Pipeline Company, subsidiary of PetroChina. Originally was agreed that PetroChina would have had 50% of the pipeline, while Royal Dutch Shell, Gazprom and ExxonMobil had been slated to hold 15% each and Sinopec 5%. However, in August 2006 this agreement was terminated by PetroChina.

Technical features

Capacity of the pipeline is 12 bcm natural gas annually.cite news | title = West-East gas pipeline expands supply area | publisher = Wang Ying, China Daily | date = 2005-06-22 | url = http://www.chinadaily.cn/english/doc/2005-06/22/content_453517.htm | accessdate = 2007-05-12] The cost of pipeline was $5.7 billion. By the end of 2007 the capacity is planned to be upgraded up to 17 bcm. For this purpose 10 new gas compressor stations will be built and 8 existing stations will be upgraded.cite news | title = PetroChina To Boost West-East Gas Pipeline's Capacity 42% | publisher = George Bernard, Dow Jones Chinese Financial Wire | date = 2006-09-01 | url = http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/chinainstitute/nav03.cfm?nav03=49895&nav02=43590&nav01=43092 | accessdate = 2007-05-12]

Connections

The West-East Gas Pipeline is connected to the Shaan-Jing Parallel Pipeline by the convert|886|km|mi|0 long Ji-Ning branch between the Qingshan Distributing Station and the Anping Distributing Station, operational since 30 December 2005.

ource of supply

The pipeline is supplied from the Tarim Basin gas fields in Xinjiang province. The Changqing gas area in Shaanxi province is a secondary gas source. In future, the planned Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline will be connected to the West-East Gas Pipeline.

econd pipeline

Construction of the second west-east gas pipeline started on 22 February 2008. The pipeline with the total length of convert|9102|km|mi|0, including convert|4843|km|mi|0 of main line and eight sub-lines, will run from Khorgos in northwestern Xinjiang to Guangzhou in Guangdong. Up to Gansu, it will be parallel and interconnected with the first west-east pipeline. The western part of the main line is expected to be commissioned by 2009 and the eastern part by June 2011.cite news | url = http://www.downstreamtoday.com/News/Articles/200802/China_Starts_Work_on_B_Pipeline_for_T_8868.aspx | title = China Starts Work on $20B Pipeline for Turkmen Gas | publisher = Downstream Today| date = 2008-02-22 | accessdate = 2008-02-23]

The capacity of the pipeline would be 30 bcm of natural gas per year. It will be mainly supplied by the Central Asia-China gas pipeline. The pipeline is expected to cost US$ 20 billion.cite news | title = CNPC plans to build longest LNG pipeline | publisher = Xinhua | date = 2007-04-06 | url = http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-04/06/content_5942133.htm | accessdate = 2007-05-12] It will be developed by China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corp. (CNODC), a joint venture of China National Petroleum Corporation and PetroChina.cite news | title = PetroChina, CNODC to invest in gas pipeline | publisher = Xinhua | date = 2008-01-05 | url = http://www.neurope.eu/view_news.php?id=81535 | accessdate = 2008-01-06]

ee also

*Sichuan-Shanghai gas pipeline

References

External links

* [http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/Gas-Pipeline/37313.htm West-East Gas Pipeline project] , by china.org.cn
* [http://www.petrochina.com.cn/english/gsjs/zyyw_04_4.htm The West-East Gas Pipeline Project] , by PetroChina