Russia Works At Full Steam on Western, Eastern Routes to China
While Naftogaz is saying that it is ready to start negotiations for the “summer package”, Russian authorities continue to work at full steam on their cooperation opportunities with China.
On Friday, Gazprom’ Alexey Miller said that the company is discussing a contract and a technical agreement on Russian gas supply to China via the western route. Moscow and Beijing are discussing the so-called Altai gas pipeline to export natural gas from Western Siberia to North-Western China.
“A new contract for the supply of 30 billion cubic meters of gas annually is under development. The gas pipeline project for the western route is all set for transiting to the construction phase. We are moving ahead in a good pace in the commercial talks,” Miller commented in a note released on Friday.
Miller discussed the project with Zhang Gaoli, First Vice Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China. In Beijing, Miller also met Wang Dongjin, Vice President of CNPC.
On Thursday, the Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee held a meeting in Tomsk today to consider the progress with the Company's investment projects related to gas supply to China via the eastern route.
‘It was pointed out that the creation of the Yakutia gas production center as well as the construction of gas transmission and processing capacities went on in compliance with the schedule’ the company wrote in a separate press release.
According to Gazprom, Power of Siberia gas trunkline construction is underway. The Power of Siberia pipeline - also known as Yakutia–Khabarovsk–Vladivostok pipeline - is under construction in Eastern Siberia to transport Yakutia's gas.
‘Among other things, the gas pipeline route is being cleared, site filling is being done for the line pipe operation center base and a rotational camp in Lensk. Joint activities are being carried out at the Power of Siberia trans-border section in cooperation with China National Petroleum Corporation.’
Meanwhile, Ukraine’s Naftogaz welcomed the proposal of EC President Jean-Claude Juncker to start trilateral discussions between Ukraine, the European Commission and Russia for the "summer package".
The so-called “winter package” expires in the end of March 2015.
“This initiative will surely contribute to strengthening energy security and gas supply predictability in Europe, and Naftogaz is ready to participate in a trilateral at any time suitable to all parties”, Naftogaz CEO Andriy Kobolyev said on Friday.