Chinese President Xi Jinping and Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev held a commissioning ceremony Sept. 7 in Astana for the first section of Phase II of the Kazakhstan-China Gas Pipeline.
Phase II will have two sections. The 1,143-km first section extends from Bozoy in Aktobe Province to Shymkent in South Kazakhstan Province, and is ready for natural gas delivery. The 311-km second section from Beyneu in Mangystau Province to Bozoy is expected to be completed in 2015. The 1,454-km Phase II pipeline is designed to transport 10 billion cu m/year and has the potential of 15 billion cu m.
China National Petroleum Corp. and KazMunaiGas signed an agreement for construction and operation of the pipeline in August 2007. In 2008, the Asia Gas Pipeline LLP joint venture was formed for construction and operation management.
The Phase I project—the section of the Central Asia-China Gas Pipeline in Kazakhstan—has a total length of 1,302 km. Lines A and B of the project are in operation with a designed deliverability of 30 billion cu m/year. Line C—which extends parallel to Lines A and B—has a deliverability of 25 billion cu m/year and is slated for completion by yearend (OGJ, Oct. 22, 2012, p. 22).