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China begins construction of 2nd gas pipeline

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-02-07 16:58

Shenzhen -- China started construction of the eastern segment of the country's second West-East gas pipeline in Southern Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province on Saturday.

Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang attended the ceremony and announced the start of the construction.

The pipeline, the second after the first West-East natural gas transfer project, will cross 14 provinces and carry 30 million cubic meters of natural gas every year from Turkmenistan to eastern and western areas, including Zhejiang, Shanghai and Guangdong.

The 9,102 km pipeline will be made up of one trunk line and eight sub-lines. Construction in west segment of the pipeline was started in 2008 and will be put into use by the end of 2011.

After completion of the second pipeline, China is expected to save 11.06 million tonnes of coal every year.

The first West-East gas pipeline was finished in 2004. In the past five years, it provided 42 billion cubic meters of gas to nearly 200 million population.