Xinjiang Tunnel Completion Marks Progress in China's West-to-East Gas Project

A significant milestone was reached in northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Wednesday, with the completion of a tunnel after a year of construction. This tunnel is a crucial component of the West-to-East natural gas transmission project.

The completed tunnel, the first of the Guozigou section, stretches nearly six kilometers. The West-to-East gas transmission project, encompassing four pipelines, is designed to optimize China's energy distribution. It aims to transport abundant energy resources from the western production areas to the high-demand markets in the eastern region.

The Guozigou project has achieved several industry records and showcases China's advancements in constructing long-distance pipelines in challenging geological environments. Located in the Western Tianshan Mountains, Guozigou is a critical route for the second and third lines of the West-to-East project. The region's complex geology and frequent geological hazards present significant challenges to the gas pipeline system's operation.

The construction project includes four long-distance mountain tunnels, which are the longest single-bore tunnels in China's oil and gas sector. They feature the largest cross-section, the highest elevation, and the largest altitude difference.

The new pipeline extends 32 kilometers and utilizes a dual-pipe system within a single trench. Upon completion, it will complement existing pipelines, providing redundancy and enhancing the overall safety of the West-to-East gas transmission system.

The Guozigou section of the West-to-East gas transmission project's second and third lines are scheduled to be fully operational by September 2027. These lines have already delivered over 557 billion cubic meters of natural gas, benefiting approximately 500 million people along the pipeline route.