China Completes Key Gas Pipeline, Bolstering Energy Security
PipeChina Co. has successfully completed and commissioned the Gansu-Ningxia section of the 4th West-to-East Gas Pipeline project, bolstering China's energy security and its "Green Silk Road" initiative.
Announced on Thursday, June 25, the commissioning of this final segment, running from Turpan to Zhongwei, marks the pipeline's full operational status, cementing the country’s energy security.
The 4th West-to-East Gas Pipeline is a crucial energy corridor connecting Central Asia and China. Originating in Wuqia county, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and terminating in Zhongwei, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the pipeline builds on the success of three preceding pipelines.
With an annual gas transmission capacity of 15 billion cubic meters, the pipeline is projected to replace 27 million tons of standard coal and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 50 million tons annually, according to Xinhua News Agency.
This addition section expands the West-to-East Gas Pipeline system's total annual transmission capacity to 100 billion cubic meters, greatly enhancing the cross-regional distribution of natural gas across China.
The newly commissioned Gansu-Ningxia section alone stretches 1,162 kilometres, traversing challenging Gobi Desert terrain and the Anxi Extreme Arid Desert National Nature Reserve in Gansu, known to present significant construction hurdles due to extreme temperatures, minimal precipitation, and a fragile ecosystem home to numerous protected species.
When fully operational, the 4th West-to-East Gas Pipeline will integrate with the second and third pipelines, boosting China's primary natural gas pipeline transmission capacity beyond 4,000 cubic meters.
This enhanced network will deliver more natural gas from Central Asia and China's Tarim Basin to critical economic hubs, including the Bohai Rim and the central and southeastern coastal regions.
Xinhua noted that this will optimise regional energy structures, improve air quality, and foster high-quality economic and social development along the pipeline's route.