Reconnaissance work has started on a 2,000-strong kilometer product oil pipeline project linking Kunming, capital of southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Maoming, one of China's largest oil refining bases in Guangdong Province.
It is expected to become the country's longest pipeline for refined oil. The project is listed high on the agenda of the national flagship oil refining company, PetroChina's new five year plan (2001-2005).
The southwestern region, which includes Yunnan, Tibet and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous regions and Guizhou Province, relies heavily on the refined oil supply from Maoming. The annual railway transportation of petroleum to the region amounts to several millions of tons.
However, facing new opportunities brought by the country's strategic development of the middle and western area, the railway transportation cannot meet the soaring oil demand in the region.
The new pipeline designed with 10 million tons of annual transportation capacity will meander through Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou and Yunnan to join 23 oil pumping stations and oil depots.
Figures with PetroChina suggest that Maoming's annual oil refining capacity will expand to 18 million tons from the present 13.5 million tons in the next five years.
(Xinhua 05/26/2001)
