Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Aug. 26 /Trend, H.Hasanov/
The capacity of Central Asia - China pipeline on deliveries of Turkmen gas will be brought to 55-60 billion cubic meters per year by 2015, the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) said on Friday.
Earlier it was reported that Ashgabat and Beijing are in talks to raise capacity through this pipeline. A relevant contract is expected to be signed within Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov's official visit to China this year.
According to plans, in 2012, the transnational communication in length of about 7,000 kilometers will enable to transport 30 billion cubic meters of gas to China.
The report said that total volume of Turkmen gas supplied to China via the pipeline entered into service in late 2009 through Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan amounted to 13.8 billion cubic meters as of Aug. 25.
Central Asian gas pipeline with design capacity of 30 billion cubic meters was built by CNPC, which enabled Turkmenistan to expand the market - previously limited with supplies to Russia and Iran.
CNPC also operates in Turkmenistan on the basis of an exclusive production sharing agreement (PSA) to develop onshore Bagtyyarlyk field in Lebap region of the country.