Sample News Story
PetroChina puts first gas in West-East pipeline
01/10/2003
PetroChina has begun first gas flows from the Changqing gas fields in northern Shaanxi through the Jingbian-Shanghai section of the West-East Gas Pipeline. PetroChina hopes this development will "lay a solid foundation for the commercial supply of natural gas to Shanghai on January 1, 2004."
The eastern section of the West-East Pipeline is 1,485 km long, extending from Jingbian in Shaanxi to Shanghai and passes through the provinces of, Shanxi, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang.
PetroChina said, "By the end of 2003, the Jingbian-Shanghai section will be put into operation to supply commercial users in Shanghai with natural gas from northern Shaanxi. Energy-thirsty areas like Shanghai and Yangtze River Delta in East China can have gas from Tarim directly by early 2005."
Changqing gas fields have proven reserves of 1.1 Tcm, recoverable reserves of 751 Bcm and production capacity of 4.8 Bcm/year. Changqing will not only supply the West-East pipeline but also the Shaanxi-Beijing pipeline and peripheral markets.
PetroChina has agreed initial gas supply contracts with 19 users in Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu and Shanghai, including Shanghai Natural Gas Network and Yangtze-BASF.
(For more details on the progress of the project see “Tensions emerge in JV talks as China’s West-East Pipe takes shape” Gas Matters, September, p10).