Sino-Burma Natural Gas Pipeline to Begin Operations in May 2013

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Beijing, China)--Following Burma's dry season in late October, the construction of the Sino-Burma Natural Gas Pipeline has entered its last gold construction period prior to its commissioning. The pipeline is expected to begin operations by the end of May 2013, according to an announcement from China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) (Beijing) on October 30.

Starting from the crude oil port in the west coast of Burma, the Sino-Burma Natural Gas Pipeline has a total length of 793 kilometers in Burma. The Chinese side comprises a trunk pipeline and eight branches; the trunk pipeline has a total length of 1,726.8 kilometers with a diameter of 1,016 millimeters, and the eight branches are 855.6 kilometers in length. Southeast Aisa Pipeline Company Limited (Hong Kong), a subsidiary of the CNPC that has branches in the Burma and Chinese mainland, is responsible for the design, construction and future operations of the pipeline.

On June 3, 2010, the CNPC signed an agreement with the National Oil & Gas Corporation of Burma to jointly build a crude oil pipeline, a natural gas pipeline and an associated crude oil port. Construction of the natural gas pipeline in Burma kicked off in June 2010. So far, 645 kilometers of the natural gas pipeline have been welded. All five critical control sub-projects in the pipeline have been fully completed. All 12 sinking boxes required for the crude oil port have been completed, and the comprehensive progress is 85% at present.

As reported, the construction of the oil and gas pipeline from Burma to China could promote the diversification process of the energy supply in China and alleviate the overloading in the existing energy import path.

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