CRI听力:China, Russia Oil Pipeline Starts Trial Operation

Russian crude oil are now flowing into China through a pipeline linking Russia's far-east to China's northeast, as the two countries are now testing the pipeline.

Our reporter Shuangfeng has more.




The oil is shipped via a branch of the pipeline that runs from the Russian city of Skovorodino to Chinese oil production base, Daqing.
 
The first crude shipment has arrived early today in Mohe, the terminal at China's border.

Ma Zhiqiang is a chief coordinator of the operation from the China National Petroleum Corporation.

" Now the crude has crossed the border, we need to do some adjustments to the facilities. In about four days' time, the crude will enter into the pipeline from Mohe to Daqing. That's about 900 to 1,000 kilometers. "

During the test period, the pipeline will bring some 250,000 tonnes of crude from Russia this month and 300,000 tonnes in December.

Russia is the world's biggest energy producer and China has overtaken the United States last year to become the world's largest energy consumer.

Currently, Russia's crude comes into China mostly via railway. Han Xiaoping, Chief Information Officer of China Energy Net says the construction of the pipeline lowers transportation cost and will help boost energy trade between the two nations.

" The pipeline will help maximize the interests of the two nations, Once such pipeline is set up, more pipelines will be following, and the next is a pipeline for natural gas."

The contract between the two countries runs from next year until 2030. About 15 million tonnes of crude oil will be transported annually from Russia to China.

For CRI, I'm Shuangfeng.