The scheme of gas supplies via the eastern route is the most ambitious investment project in the global gas industry. Within this framework, Gazprom has built a section of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline stretching for some 2200 km from Yakutia to the Chinese border near Blagoveshchensk. Also completed are the border-adjacent Atamanskaya compressor station and a cross-border section with a two-string submerged crossing under the Amur River.
According to the Sales and Purchase Agreement between Gazprom and CNPC, gas deliveries will be carried out in the course of 30 years. There is a robust resource base in place. Currently, Power of Siberia receives gas from Chayandinskoye, the largest field in Yakutia (1.2 trillion m3 of gas reserves). On the basis of this field, a new gas production centre has been created in the region from the ground up. The centre has already been provided with key facilities, such as comprehensive gas treatment and pre-treatment units, a booster compressor station, a utility system, and about 1000 km of roads, including 25 bridges. The field's annual design output is 25 billion m3 of gas. This figure is expected to be reached in 2024.
In late 2022, Power of Siberia will start to receive gas from one more location – Kovyktinskoye (2.7 trillion m3 of gas reserves), the most prolific field in eastern Russia. At the moment, the field serves as the basis for creating the Irkutsk gas production centre, with pre-development operations underway. In the future, an approximately 800-km stretch of Power of Siberia will be constructed between Kovyktinskoye and Chayandinskoye.
“Today, we are witnessing a historic event for Russia and China. The eastern route – Power of Siberia – is a global, strategically significant and mutually beneficial project. A new scope of energy cooperation between the two countries with a prospect for further development. Clean energy today and tomorrow, for decades to come,” said Alexey Miller.
