Astana - Kazakhstan and Russia are considering the possibility of building a gas pipeline through the Central Asian country to China, Kazakh First Deputy Energy Minister Uzakbai Karabalin.
“The head of state and prime minister of our country took the initiative to jointly consider with Russia the construction of a gas pipeline from Russia to China through Kazakhstan. There is already one gas pipeline to China through Russia, a second gas pipeline was planned to go directly to China through the Altai Mountains. We proposed – our prime minister voiced the proposal – to build through Kazakhstan, including running a gas pipeline through Astana and to around Khorgos or Alashankou to China,” Karabalin said at a briefing on Aug. 27.
He said Russia showed “certain interest” in the proposal. “Today we are creating a working group to consider this issue more closely,” Karabalin said.
There are no precise estimates for schedules for construction yet, the project is only being discussed for the moment, he added.
“Today this is an idea. We, of course, like the idea, [and] the Russians have also taken an interest in this idea. We believe this is already a good sign. Going forward we are talking about the economics of this project and the desire of the Russian side, the Chinese side to thus connect the gas pipeline,” Karabalin said.
