Altai gas pipeline

The Power of Siberia 2 (also known as Altai gas pipeline) is a proposed natural gas pipeline to export natural gas from Russia's Western Siberia Altai region to North-Eastern China.

Power of Siberia 2
Location
CountryRussia, China
General directionnorth–south
FromPurpeyskaya compressor station (Urengoy-Surgut-Chelyabinsk pipeline), Russia
Passes throughAlexandrovskoye, Vertikos, Parabel, Chazhemto, Volodino, Boyarka, Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Biysk, the Kanas mountain pass
ToXinjiang region (West–East Gas Pipeline), China
Runs alongsideUrengoy–Surgut–Chelyabinsk, Northern Tyumen regions–Surgut–Omsk, Nizhnevartovsk gas refinery–Parabel, Parabel–Kuzbass, Novosibirsk–Kuzbass, Novosibirsk–Barnaul, Barnaul–Biysk pipelines
General information
Typenatural gas
PartnersGazprom
OperatorTomskTransGaz
Technical information
Length2,800 km (1,700 mi)
Maximum discharge50 billion cubic meters per year

History

The memorandum on deliveries of Russian natural gas to China was signed by Gazprom CEO Alexei Miller and CNPC CEO Chen Geng during Russian president Vladimir Putin's visit to China in March 2006.[1][2] The project was put on hold due to disagreements over natural gas price and competition from other gas sources in the Chinese market.[3][4]

In 2013, Gazprom and CNPC agreed to instead pursue a more eastern route, the Power of Siberia gas pipeline.[5][6] In 2014, the project was resumed during the APEC summit.[7][8] In 2015, the project was "postponed for an indefinite period of time".[9]

Gazprom and the Mongolian Government discussed details of a feasibility study for the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project in October 2021.[10] In 2022, Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai announced that the feasibility study has been completed, and that the construction of the pipeline will commence in 2024, and will connect the Siberian gas fields to China via Mongolia.[11]

Route

The 2,800-kilometre (1,700 mi) pipeline would start from the Purpeyskaya compressor station of the existing Urengoy–Surgut–Chelyabinsk pipeline. It would carry natural gas from the Nadym and Urengoy fields in Western Siberia. The total length of the Russian section would be 2,666 kilometres (1,657 mi), including 205 kilometres (127 mi) in Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region, 325 kilometres (202 mi) in Khanty–Mansi autonomous region, 879 kilometres (546 mi) in Tomsk Oblast, 244 kilometres (152 mi) in Novosibirsk Oblast, 422 kilometres (262 mi) in Altai Krai, and 591 kilometres (367 mi) in the Altai Republic. The terminal point in the Russian territory is the Kanas mountain pass. A large part of the pipeline will be built within the technical corridor of existing pipelines, such as the Urengoy—Surgut—Chelyabinsk, Northern Tyumen–Surgut—Omsk, Nizhnevartovsk gas refinery – Parabel, Parabel—Kuzbass, Novosibirsk—Kuzbass, Novosibirsk—Barnaul, and Barnaul—Biysk pipelines. In China, the pipeline would be terminated in the Xinjiang region, where it will be linked to the West–East Gas Pipeline.[2][12]

Alternatively, an eastern route through Mongolia is being studied.[13] Then the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline is able to deliver 50 bcm/year of natural gas to China and will run for 6,700 km (4,200 mi) across Russia, Mongolia and China (including 2,700 km (1,700 mi) in Russia alone).

Technical description

The diameter of the pipeline would be 1,420 millimetres (56 in).[14] The designed capacity of the pipeline would be 30 billion cubic meters (bcm) natural gas annually and the total costs of the whole project is expected to be up to US$14 billion. The pipeline was originally expected to become operational in 2011.[1] The pipeline will be built and operated by TomskTransGaz, the subsidiary of Gazprom.[2]

Controversy

The pipeline project has been criticized by environmental organizations because it was planned to run across the Ukok Plateau, which is the natural habitat of the snow leopard and other endangered species. Additionally, Altai leaders feared that construction of the pipeline and accompanying technical highway will pave the way for a Chinese expansion into Altai. The pipeline route impacts burial sites and shrines in the region.[15] A price precedent for the Power of Siberia 2 has already been established by the Power of Siberia which is lower than the prices of Central Asian countries and China is the monopsonist buyer.[16]

References
  1. "Natural Gas in Exchange for Time". Kommersant. 2006-09-16. Archived from the original on 2007-09-30. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  2. "Altai Project". Gazprom. Archived from the original on 3 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-09.
  3. Richard Weitz (2009-06-23). "Global Insights: Chinese-Russian Relations the Best Ever?". World Politics Review. Archived from the original on 29 June 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  4. Kelly Zang (2008-10-08). "Russia to delay construction of proposed gas pipeline to China - Xinhua". Forbes. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  5. "Gazprom, CNPC sign memorandum on eastern route pipeline gas supplies to China (Part 2)". Interfax. March 22, 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-04-13. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  6. Svetlana Kyrzhaly (March 27, 2013). "Gazprom "has forgot" about "Altai", concentrated at the "Power of Siberia" project". Oil and Gas, Metals and Mining News. Retrieved 2014-04-10.
  7. "Саммит АТЭС в Пекине: первые итоги - ЭКД!". Archived from the original on 2014-11-29. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
  8. "Altai pipeline will go direct from Russia to China". 2014-11-18. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2014-12-11.
  9. "Russian-Chinese Gas Pipeline Cancellation Offers LNG Opportunities". www.rigzone.com. Retrieved 2019-05-15.
  10. "Gazprom and Mongolian Government discuss progress of feasibility study for Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline project". www.gazprom.com. Retrieved 2021-10-23.
  11. Pao, Jeff (2022-07-20). "Power of Siberia 2 to divert Europe-bound gas to China". Asia Times. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
  12. John Helmer (2008-11-11). "China stumbles in forging Russia gas deals". Asia Times. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2009-07-15.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  13. Meliksetian, Vanand (15 January 2020). "The Superpower Energy Project To Watch In 2020". OilPrice.com. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020.
  14. "Алтайская карта "Газпрома"" [Altai map of "Gazprom"] (in Russian). Нефть и Капитал. 2007-01-17. Archived from the original on 2007-02-14. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  15. Pilgrims and Tourists. Earth Island Institute. 2014. 2014 film follows two traditional healers describing cultural impacts of disturbing burial sites. Retrieved 2015-05-15.
  16. What Russia’s First Gas Pipeline to China Reveals About a Planned Second One
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