Russia has committed to a significant boost in its gas exports to China this year, signaling deepening ties between the two Eastern nations.
Speaking at the Russian-Chinese energy business forum, Igor Sechin, CEO of Russia’s top oil company, Rosneft, confirmed, “Russia plans to supply more than 30 billion cubic meters of gas to China in 2023.”
Highlighting the burgeoning energy partnership between Russia and China, Sechin emphasized that “Russian-Chinese gas cooperation is developing dynamically.”
With pride, he added that this year, Russia’s gas export to China “will exceed the all-time high and reach more than 30 billion cubic meters.”
Efforts to expand and diversify the gas transportation routes from Russia to China are underway.
Sechin pointed out that “the countries are discussing new options for transporting gas from Russia to China, including via Mongolia,” indicating the potential for increased collaboration and efficiency in energy transport.
In reflection on the recent past, the TASS report noted that “Russia exported 15.5 billion cubic meters of gas to China via the Sila Sibiri gas pipeline” in 2022.
Looking at the immediate future, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak expects that “gas exports via this pipeline are expected to reach 22 billion cubic meters” this year.
Moreover, there are ambitious plans for this pipeline as the pipeline “is expected to reach its designed capacity of 38 billion cubic meters by 2025.”
Russia’s energy behemoth, Gazprom, is also setting expansive goals.
They have outlined intentions to “increase its gas exports to China to 48 billion cubic meters a year in the next few years,” further expanding their operations “via the Far Eastern route.”
Adding an optimistic future projection, Gazprom CEO Alexey Miller hinted at an even greater potential, suggesting that “gas supplies to China may amount to nearly 100 billion cubic meters a year if the transit pipeline via Mongolia is taken into account.”
