Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline

The Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline is China's first direct oil import pipeline. When fully completed, the convert|3000|km|mi|-2 long pipeline will run from Atyrau in Kazakhstan to Alashankou in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. The pipeline is being developed by the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and the Kazakh oil company KazMunayGas.cite news
url=http://news3.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-07/12/content_4819484.htm
title=Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline opens to operation
publisher=Xinhua
date=2006-07-12
accessdate=2008-03-15]

History

The construction of pipeline was agreed between China and Kazakhstan in 1997. The first section of pipeline from the Aktöbe region's oil fields to the Atyrau was completed in 2003. Currently the flow along the pipline is from East to West while the remaining section of the pipline is completed, as this allows oil frm the Kenkiyak field to be exported through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC). Once the third section is completed the flow will reverse allowing oil from the Precaspian Basin to be exported to China. The construction of the convert|987|km|mi|0 Atasulong second section of pipeline from Atasu to Alashankou started in September 2004 and was completed in December 2005.cite news
url= http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200503/25/eng20050325_178162.html
title=China starts work on Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline
publisher=People's Daily Online
date=2005-03-25
accessdate=2008-03-15] cite news
url= http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200602/27/eng20060227_246399.html
title=Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline to open in May
publisher=People's Daily Online
date=2006-02-27
accessdate=2008-03-15]

The Kenkiyah-Atyrau section of the pipeline is 449 km long and has a capacity of convert|120000|oilbbl/d|m3/d|abbr=on. Capcity of the pipeline maybe upgraded to convert|180000|oilbbl/d|m3/d|abbr=on in the future. The pipeline was built and is operated by MunaiTas a joint venture between CNPC and KazMunaiGaz.

The Atasu-Alashankou section of the pipeline is 1000 km long and has a capacity of convert|20000|oilbbl/d|m3/d|abbr=on. Capacity of the pipeline might be upgraded to convert|400000|oilbbl/d|m3/d|abbr=on by 2011. The pipeline was built and is operated by a joint venture between CNODC and KazTrans Oil JSC.

Technical description

The Atasu-Alashankou pipeline cost US$700 million, and its capacity is 10 million tons a year or 1.4 million barrels a year, which will increase later to 20 million tons or 2.4 million barrels.cite news
url= http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-12/15/content_503709.htm
title=China-Kazakhstan pipeline starts to pump oil
publisher=China Daily
date=2005-12-25
accessdate=2008-03-15] The pipeline includes an oil metering station at the Alataw Pass. In Alashankou this section is connected with the Alashankou-Dushanzi Crude Oil Pipeline, which runs to the Dushanzi District supplying mainly the Dushanzi refinery. The first oil through this pipeline reached the refinery in August 2006.

Third section

The third section of the Kazakhstan-China oil pipeline will be Kenkiyak-Kumkol is under construction. The construction was agreed between Kazakhstan and China on 18 August 2007.cite news | url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL1872705320070818 | title=Kazakhstan, China agree on pipeline from Caspian | author=Maria Golovnina | publisher=Reuters | date=2007-08-18 | accessdate=2008-03-15] This section is expected to be completed in October 2009 and to reach full capacity in 2011.cite news |url=http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article152009.ece | title=Beijing digs in with Kazakh pipes | publisher= Upstream Online| date=2008-04-09 | accessdate=2008-04-19]

Oil supplies

Currently the pipeline is supplied from the Aktobe region's fields and from the Kumkol field. In future the main supply source will be Kashagan field. The pipeline is used also for the transportation of oil from Russia's western Siberia by connection with the Omsk (Russia) -Pavlodar (Kasakhstan) -Shymkent - Türkmenabat (Turkmenistan) pipeline in Atasu oil terminal.cite news
url=http://atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/GB09Ag02.html
title= Caspian oil exports heading east
author=Alexander Sukhanov
publisher=Asian Times
date=2005-02-09
accessdate=2008-03-15] Oil is transported through this pipeline by Russian companies TNK-BP and Gazprom Neft.cite news
url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL1276756220080312
title=Gazprom Neft asks to send more oil to China
publisher=Reuters
date=2008-03-12
accessdate=2008-03-15]

References

External links

* [http://www.sras.org/geopolitics_of_oil_pipelines_in_central_asia The Geopolitics of Oil Pipelines in Central Asia] , Article on the Kazahstan-China pipelines featured in Vestnik, the Journal of Russian and Asian Studies Winter 2007