Russia plans to send approximately 35 billion cubic meters of natural gas annually to China via Kazakhstan. The Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russia, Dauren Abayev, told the TASS agency. This roughly corresponds to the transportation capacity of the Power of Siberia gas pipeline, through which Russian gas now flows to China. Its capacity should reach 38 billion cubic meters by 2025.
Last year, Kazakhstan and Russia agreed on the route of the future gas pipeline, which is supposed to support supplies between the two countries and to China. However, there has been no talk of transport volumes yet.
“We want to make the most of our transit potential,” said Abayev. “We are talking about 35 billion cubic meters of gas (per year) to be supplied to China,” he added, referring to gas prices.
A gas pipeline through Kazakhstan would help Russia, hit by Western sanctions over the conflict in Ukraine, increase sales to Asia. It would also provide supplies to the central, northern and eastern regions of Kazakhstan. However, an agreement with China has not yet been reached.
Moscow has been negotiating with Beijing for several years about gas exports, including through the Power of Siberia 2 project, which is supposed to run through Mongolia. But according to experts, China will need more natural gas only after 2030.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit China later this month, and energy issues are expected to be discussed. China is one of the largest consumers of Russian oil.
