Altai gas pipeline explained

Power of Siberia 2
Type:natural gas
Country:Russia, China
Operator:TomskTransGaz
Partners:Gazprom
Length Km:2800
Discharge:50 billion cubic meters per year
Direction:north–south
Start:Purpeyskaya compressor station (Urengoy-Surgut-Chelyabinsk pipeline), Russia
Finish:Xinjiang region (West–East Gas Pipeline), China
Through:Alexandrovskoye, Vertikos, Parabel, Chazhemto, Volodino, Boyarka, Novosibirsk, Barnaul, Biysk, the Kanas mountain pass
Par:Urengoy–Surgut–Chelyabinsk, Northern Tyumen regions–Surgut–Omsk, Nizhnevartovsk gas refinery–Parabel, Parabel–Kuzbass, Novosibirsk–Kuzbass, Novosibirsk–Barnaul, Barnaul–Biysk pipelines

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.

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] The project was put on hold due to disagreements over natural gas price and competition from other gas sources in the Chinese market.[2] [3]

In 2013, Gazprom and CNPC agreed to instead pursue a more eastern route, the Power of Siberia gas pipeline.[4] [5] In 2014, the project was resumed during the APEC summit.[6] [7] In 2015, the project was "postponed for an indefinite period of time".[8]

Gazprom and the Mongolian Government discussed details of a feasibility study for the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline project in October 2021.[9] In 2022, Mongolia’s Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai announced that the feasibility study had been completed, and that the construction of the pipeline would commence in 2024, and would connect the Siberian gas fields to China via Mongolia.[10]

On August 19, 2024, the South China Morning Post reported that Mongolia has not included the pipeline in its action programme through 2028.[11]

Route

The 2800adj=midNaNadj=mid pipeline would start from the Purpeyskaya compressor station of the existing UrengoySurgutChelyabinsk pipeline. It would carry natural gas from the Nadym and Urengoy fields in Western Siberia. The total length of the Russian section would be 2666km (1,657miles), including 205km (127miles) in Yamalo-Nenets autonomous region, 325km (202miles) in Khanty–Mansi autonomous region, 879km (546miles) in Tomsk Oblast, 244km (152miles) in Novosibirsk Oblast, 422km (262miles) in Altai Krai, and 591km (367miles) 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.[1] [12]

Alternatively, an eastern route through Mongolia is being studied.[13]

Technical description

The diameter of the pipeline would be 1420mm.[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.[15] The pipeline will be built and operated by TomskTransGaz, the subsidiary of Gazprom.[1]

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.[16] 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.[17]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Altai Project . . 2010-10-09 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101003210550/http://www.gazprom.com/production/projects/pipelines/altai/ . 3 October 2010 . dead .
  2. News: Global Insights: Chinese-Russian Relations the Best Ever? . Richard Weitz . World Politics Review . 2009-06-23 . 2009-07-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20090629033507/http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/article.aspx?id=3961. 29 June 2009 . live.
  3. News: Russia to delay construction of proposed gas pipeline to China - Xinhua . Kelly Zang . . 2008-10-08 . 2009-07-15.
  4. News: Gazprom, CNPC sign memorandum on eastern route pipeline gas supplies to China (Part 2) . March 22, 2013 . 2014-04-10 . Interfax . 2014-04-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140413124854/http://www.interfax.com/newsinf.asp?id=404502 . dead .
  5. News: Gazprom "has forgot" about "Altai", concentrated at the "Power of Siberia" project . March 27, 2013 . Svetlana Kyrzhaly . 2014-04-10 . Oil and Gas, Metals and Mining News .
  6. Web site: Саммит АТЭС в Пекине: первые итоги - ЭКД! . 2014-12-11 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129063814/http://chinababe.ru/delkit/politics/2014/11/11/apec-results/ . 2014-11-29 . dead .
  7. Web site: Altai pipeline will go direct from Russia to China. 2014-11-18. 2014-12-11. https://web.archive.org/web/20150402133328/http://interfaxenergy.com/gasdaily/article/14214/altai-pipeline-will-go-direct-from-russia-to-china. 2015-04-02. dead.
  8. Web site: Russian-Chinese Gas Pipeline Cancellation Offers LNG Opportunities. www.rigzone.com. en. 2019-05-15.
  9. Web site: Gazprom and Mongolian Government discuss progress of feasibility study for Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline project. www.gazprom.com. en. 2021-10-23.
  10. Web site: Pao . Jeff . 2022-07-20 . Power of Siberia 2 to divert Europe-bound gas to China . 2022-10-02 . Asia Times . en-US.
  11. News: 2024-08-19 . Future murky for Russia-China pipeline as Mongolia omits project from long-term plan . 2024-08-21 . South China Morning Post . en-US.
  12. News: China stumbles in forging Russia gas deals . https://web.archive.org/web/20081007200701/http://atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/JF11Ag01.html . unfit . 2008-10-07 . Asia Times . John Helmer . 2008-11-11 . 2009-07-15.
  13. Web site: Meliksetian . Vanand . The Superpower Energy Project To Watch In 2020 . OilPrice.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20200405000315/https://oilprice.com/Energy/Natural-Gas/The-Superpower-Energy-Project-To-Watch-In-2020.html . 5 April 2020 . en . 15 January 2020 . live.
  14. News: Алтайская карта "Газпрома" . Altai map of "Gazprom" . Нефть и Капитал . 2007-01-17 . 2008-12-21 . Russian . https://web.archive.org/web/20070214093650/http://www.oilcapital.ru/analytics/2007/01/171221_103884.shtml . 2007-02-14 . dead.
  15. News: Natural Gas in Exchange for Time . Kommersant . 2006-09-16 . 2008-12-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070930165307/http://www.kommersant.com/p705319/r_500/Natural_Gas_in_Exchange_for_Time/ . 2007-09-30 . dead .
  16. Pilgrims and Tourists . 2015-05-15 . 2014 . . 2014 film follows two traditional healers describing cultural impacts of disturbing burial sites..
  17. https://carnegieendowment.org/politika/89552 What Russia’s First Gas Pipeline to China Reveals About a Planned Second One