Large Gas Field Begins Supply to West China CitiesA large field in northwest China's Qinghai Province began Friday to supply high-quality natural gas to the provincial capital of Xining, through a pipeline.The Selan Gas Field in the Qaidam Basin will provide a stable supply of gas to cities like Xining and Lanzhou, capital of neighboring Gansu Province, for 40 years, according to a senior official of the field. There are three large gas fields in the Qaidam Basin, with combined proved reserves of 220 billion cubic meters, and the figure is expected to become 300 billion cubic meters by the end of this year, when total production will reach one billion cubic meters annually, sources said. The 953-km pipeline from the gas field to Xining and further to Lanzhou, which has been partly completed, will cost a total of 2.5 billion yuan (about US$301 million). Operation of the whole pipeline will begin in early October this year. |
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