Russian hydrocarbon (Oil and Gas and Coal) Industry: News #4

Still, restarting EU-based nuclear power generation technology would have been possible. But nobody will allow that. wrote:

y get French or American NPP, wrote:

Russia has begun preparing a project for a new gas pipeline to China

The Russian side has begun preparing a project for another gas pipeline to China , which will pass through Kazakhstan . Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak spoke about this in an interview with Rossiya 24 , RIA Novosti reports .

According to him, calculations are currently being made, a feasibility study is being prepared, and negotiations are underway. The capacity of the new route is expected to be 45 billion cubic meters, of which 10 billion are to be directed to gasification of northeastern Kazakhstan.

The official did not provide any other details of the new project, in particular the position of the Chinese side, possible launch dates or the start of construction.

Novak first spoke about the possibility of such a route with a capacity of 35 billion cubic meters in mid-November at the international forum "Sprouts: Russia and China - Mutually Beneficial Cooperation." He noted that this was only an idea. The head of the Ministry of Energy of Kazakhstan, Almasadam Satkaliyev, later confirmed his interest in the project, but emphasized that the republic would agree to it only if 10 billion cubic meters per year were provided at a price that suits it.

The Chinese side has not commented on the initiative. Currently, China receives Russian pipeline gas only via the Power of Siberia , which reached its planned capacity for the first time this year. The new route would almost double current supplies, but Beijing's consent to it would be key.

The construction of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline to China via Mongolia , which Russian authorities considered a practically done deal, has stalled and has not moved forward for several years. According to sources, the problem was China's demand for low prices, as well as its refusal to participate in financing the project. The new route, according to experts, will be much cheaper.