China on Wednesday laid out a primary plan for its second
pipeline of the west-east natural gas transmission project.
According to the plan, construction of the 8,794 kilometer gas
pipeline, which consists of one major line and eight sub-lines,
will involve an investment of approximately 143.5 billion yuan
(US$19.8 billion).
The major line will extend 4,945 km, running from Khorgos in the
northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to Guangzhou, capital
of south Guangdong Province.
Construction of the pipeline will begin this year and it will go
into operation in 2010. The pipeline would pass through 13 Chinese
regions.
It would carry natural gas from central Asian countries and
Xinjiang to the economically prosperous but energy thirsty eastern
and southern China areas, including Shanghai and Guangdong
Province.
(Xinhua News Agency January 17, 2008)
