A groundbreaking high-tech natural gas pipeline connecting the Chinese mainland and Russia commenced operations on Monday, as announced by the China Oil and Gas Pipeline Network Corporation (PipeChina).
The impressive pipeline, boasting a capacity of 38 billion cubic meters per year, spans over 5,000 kilometers from Heihe in northeastern Heilongjiang Province—bordering Russia—to the bustling metropolis of Shanghai. The project, which took nearly a decade to complete, is celebrated by domestic media as China's first \"world-level\" pipeline.
\"The launch of the pipeline significantly enhances gas supply reliability and flexibility in eastern China,\" stated Li Bo, a representative from PipeChina's construction project management branch. \"It will ensure sufficient gas supplies for the peak demand periods expanding from this winter to next spring.\"
Beyond its scale, the pipeline incorporates cutting-edge automation technology, featuring robots that patrol key sections. This marks the first pipeline in China equipped with explosion-proof rail-mounted inspection robots.
Reference(s):
New, high-tech gas pipeline linking China and Russia operational
cgtn.com
