Azerbaijan, Baku, July 6 / corr Trend S.Suleyamnov /
Sending Azerbaijani gas supplies to China will be feasible after the West Kazakhstan - West China gas pipeline is commissioned, a top Kazakh oil official said today.
"One of the most respected foreign experts has been quoted as saying that the world will soon see a struggle for Caspian energy resources between the two biggest hydrocarbon consumers - Europe and China," the source said. "Such trends will become very 'real' after the pipeline's commissioning."
The source stressed that the pipeline will inevitably bring the Caspian region and China closer.
The idea that gas supplies from the Caspian, particularly, Azerbaijan, could be directed toward China, was first sounded in autumn 2009. KazMunayGaz President Kairgeldi Kabildin made the proposal to direct Azerbaijani gas to the Chinese gas pipeline, which will run via Kazakhstan.
KazMunayGaz will create the Kazakhstan-China system, which will include the Atasu-Alashankou oil pipeline and a gas pipeline referred to as the "Asian Route" in official documents.
This year, Kazakhstan also plans to launch the construction of the Beyney-Bozoy-Shimkent gas pipeline. Commissioning is planned for 2011. By synchronizing the activities of these pipelines, more Kazakh gas will likely be supplied to China, the source said.
Both gas projects are implemented with KazMunayGaz and China's CNPC.