The Yanshuigou Tunnel project on the upstream section of the west-to-east gas transportation line was initially completed Sunday in northwest China's Xinjiang UygurAutonomous Region, pavin g the way for linking major gas sources with the first natural gas supply station of the program.

Seen as the throat of the upper stream of the gas transport program, the 1,984.7-meter-long tunnel links the Kara No.2 gas field with the First Lunnan gas supply station.

Currently, construction and development of the upstream gas fields of the gas transport program are well underway, says Sun Longde, general manager of the Tarim Oilfield Company, a subsidiary of PetroChina, an onshore oil giant of China.

Work on the central progressing facility, gas gathering system,gas pipeline and well drilling projects are proceeding rapidly forthe Kara No.2 gas field, a major gas source for the program.

The gas field is expected to have an annual production capacityof 14 billion cubic meters this year and to begin supplying gas for the program on Jan. 1, 2005, Sun added.

Boasting a length of 4,000 kilometers, the west-to-east gas transport program will start at the Lunnan oil and gas field of the Tarim Basin, Xinjiang, traverse seven provinces and autonomousregions, and end at Baihe Town of Shanghai, east China. The first phase of the program will have an annual gas transport capacity of12 billion cubic meters. The first phase is expected to be done inDecember this year.

Source: Xinhua