MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th December, 2020) China expects that the volume of gas from Russia transported via the Gazprom-operated Power of Siberia pipeline will exceed 4 billion cubic meters (141 billion cubic feet) by the end of the year, Chinese ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui told Sputnik.
The diplomat praised Moscow-Beijing energy cooperation and described it as long-term, strategic and "mutually beneficial." Zhang also called the pipeline a landmark project, adding that China is ready to further deepen cooperation in the energy sector.
"Not so long ago, there was a anniversary of the commissioning of a gas pipeline from Russia to China along the eastern route. To date, the total volume of transported gas has reached 3.85 billion cubic meters, according to preliminary estimates, by the end of 2020 it will exceed 4 billion cubic meters," Zhang said.
The diplomat also said that Gazprom and the China National Petroleum Corporation are now deciding on the number of gas deliveries for 2021.
"After the entire line is put into operation, the maximum annual gas transmission capacity could reach 38 billion cubic meters, which will benefit the 400 million people living along the pipeline," Zhang said.
Russia started to export gas to China via the Power of Siberia pipeline in late 2019. The Russian company previously said that it intends to reach a designed annual capacity of 38 billion cubic meters by 2025.
