Construction of the East Route natural gas pipeline has been finalized, according to its operator

Construction of the East Route mega pipeline to supply Russian natural gas from Siberia to eastern China has been completed, CCTV reported this week, citing the project’s operator PipeChina.

According to the report, the 5,111 km cross-border pipeline is now entering its final commissioning phase and will soon be fully operational. The southernmost section, linking the coastal province of Jiangsu with Shanghai is complete. 

The pipeline enters China via the border city of Heihe in northeastern Heilongjiang Province, and runs through nine provincial regions, supplying natural gas to areas along the route, including Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin.

Once fully operational, the pipeline will supply 38 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year, enough to meet the annual gas demands of 130 million urban households, CCTV reported.

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Analysts cited by the Global Times have described the pipeline as an essential energy route for eastern China, claiming it is set to play a crucial role in securing the regional gas supply and supporting the development of a clean, low-carbon energy system. 

The corridor will boost the energy security and economic development of the eastern regions of China, the company said.

The East Route was partially launched in December 2019, becoming the first pipeline to supply Russian gas to China. The route is part of a $400 billion, 30-year agreement between the Russian company Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation, signed in May 2014.

The two companies are also working on a western gas route, which involves the construction of a pipeline to China through Mongolia. The route will be capable of delivering as much as 50 billion cubic meters of gas per year, once operational.