Russia and China set to launch gas pipeline ‘Power of Siberia’

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are set to inaugurate 3000-kilometre gas pipeline, on December 2, from Siberia to China. The ‘Power of Siberia’ pipeline, Russia’s one of the three ambitious projects, will be launched via a video link which will also challenge the monopoly of state-owned China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC), or PetroChina. Power of Siberia gas pipeline is part of the $400 billion deal, struck between Russia’s Gazprom and CNPC, to supply 38 billion cubic metres (BCM) a year for 30 years. 

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The implementation of cross-regional projects in Russia promotes the development of many regions including ones with such a facility on their territory will receive additional infrastructure, additional jobs, a Russian news agency quoted Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov. The construction of the first section of the Power of Siberia pipeline started in September 2014 and will supply gas from the Chayandinskoye field during the first stage.

More pipelines to be launched

According to reports, Russia will become a major exporter of gas to China by 2025 since the Power of Siberia pipeline will start delivering virtually half of the current Chinese Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) imports. Two more Russian pipelines are expected to start soon to increase its supply to European countries which will bolster Russia’s position strategically. TurkStream and Nord Stream-2, the two pipelines will supply gas to Turkey and Germany respectively. While TurkStream is expected to be launched in January, Nord Stream-2 can begin in mid-2020.

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Power of Siberia has been hailed as engineering and logistical triumph since it crosses through the hostile terrain of Irkutsk, Amur and Sakha regions. The 3000 kilometres pipeline is expected to resist seismic zones, permafrost and extreme temperatures which can fall to minus 62 degrees Celcius. The pipeline will provide energy security to China with alternative to expensive liquid natural gas imports amid political instability in the Middle East and the ongoing trade war with the United States.

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