China approves pipeline to import Turkmenistan gas (AP) Updated: 2006-09-27 17:10
BEIJING - Chinese planners have approved construction of a
multibillion-dollar pipeline to carry gas imported from Turkmenistan to China's
southern business center of Guangzhou, a news report said Wednesday.
The pipeline will be able to carry some 30 billion cubic meters (1 trillion
cubic feet) of gas a year from the Central Asian nation, Dow Jones Newswires
said, citing an unidentified person familiar with the plan.
It cited the source as saying the pipeline's cost could run into tens of
billions of dollars.
The project would double the capacity of an existing pipeline that carries
gas from the Xinjiang region of China's northwest to Shanghai on the east coast,
Dow Jones said.
China signed a deal in April to buy gas from Turkmenistan, but didn't release
price details.
China is trying to expand use of natural gas to reduce reliance on dirtier
oil and coal. It also is discussing with Russia the construction of a pipeline
to deliver Siberian gas to northern China.
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