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Azerbaijan interested in gas transportation to China through Kazakhstan: Head of KMG

Oil&Gas Materials 24 September 2009 13:05 (UTC +04:00)

Kazakhstan, Astana, Sept. 24 / Trend K. Konyrova, E.Ismayilov /

The Azerbaijani gas transportation via Kazakhstan to China is an alternative direction for the supply of Azerbaijani gas, head of the Kazakhstan national company KazMunayGaz (KMG), Kayirgeldi Kabildin said on Sept.24.

Last week, during the Baku international gas conference, head of SOCAR (State Oil Company of Azerbaijan), Rovnag Abdullayev, said that Kabildin proposed SOCAR to supply gas to China through Kazakhstan.

Kabildin confirmed they had made proposal to Azerbaijan. "Azerbaijan has shown interest in the project [...]. If today the issue of the Caspian resources' supply from east to west is under consideration, then why not to consider the supply in the opposite direction - from east to west," Kabildin said. He was responding to the question of the Trend correspondent.

Azerbaijan's participation in the Kazakhstan-China targets to diversify the Azerbaijani gas supplies to China. If the technical implementation of the Azerbaijani gas supply to the West is under consideration, then why not to consider the reverse direction. This project involves the construction of underwater pipelines, but the construction of the underwater pipelines is out of question until the status of the Caspian Sea is resolved. This project will be possible, if the Caspian littoral countries agree on the status, Kabildin said. Kabildin regards this project as a project of the future.

"The Caspian resources supply system targets the west and the East-West system is operating. But we are proposing to consider the West-East supply system," Kabildin added.

The first stage of the Kazakhstan-China gas pipeline will be launched on Dec.16, 2009. The capacity of this pipeline will be 40 billion cubic meters.

Should the underwater pipeline is built, Azerbaijan will be able to join the Asian Gaspipline system, which includes Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China, Kabyldin explained.

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