Talks between Russia and Kazakhstan on the possible building of the Power of Siberia-2 gas pipeline route through the Central Asian country will continue, Kazakhstan’s energy minister Nurlan Nogayev has said, according to RIA Novosti.
“Implementation of this project is still a plan at this point; no concrete parameters have been outlined yet. There are various options of delivering Russian gas to China. We offered to build this pipeline through Kazakhstan, if possible,” Nogayev said.
He noted that Nur-Sultan aims to use this pipeline to provide gas to Eastern Kazakhstan and Pavlodar regions. Commenting on his Russian counterpart Alexander Novak’s reaction to Kazakhstan’s initiative, he said Novak “has taken it for consideration, the work would continue, negotiations will continue – it’s a normal work process.”
According to earlier reports, Nogayev proposed to consider the option of building Power of Siberia 2 pipeline through Kazakhstan with a connection to China’s West-East pipeline system, during his meeting with Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.
Kazakhstan earlier suggested that the pipeline’s route be laid through its territory. The Power of Siberia, operated by Gazprom, transports natural gas from Yakutia to Primorsky Krai and China. It is a part of the eastern gas route from Siberia to China. The proposed western gas route to China is known as Power of Siberia 2 (Altai gas pipeline). The pipeline length is 3,968 km.
