The mainland's 43.5 billion yuan west-east pipeline project is expected to start operations soon, with the final welding of the 4,000km-long link completed yesterday, state media reported.
The gigantic project, which has the capacity to pump up to 20 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year from the isolated Tarim Basin in Xinjiang to the booming coastal areas, will start a trial run in October, according to China Central Television.
The pipeline would be fully operational from the beginning of next year.
Early this year, the eastern section of the pipeline began supplying natural gas to Shanghai and four neighbouring provinces.
The section, stretching about 1,500km from northern Shaanxi province to Shanghai, supplies 500 million cubic metres of natural gas a year to the coastal area.
The newly completed western section stretches more than 2,000km to the heart of the desert area in Xinjiang, where gas reserves are located.
