Turkmenistan exported $4.51 billion worth of pipeline gas to China in the first six months of 2022, an increase of 1.5 times compared to the same period last year, Russia’s TASS news agency reported on Wednesday with reference to the General Administration of Customs of China.
Thus, Turkmenistan remains the main exporter of pipeline gas to China. The second major pipeline gas supplier of China is Russia, with its deliveries totaling $1.65 billion, an increase of 2.9 times compared to the same period in 2021.
The other major suppliers of pipeline gas to China are Myanmar ($616 million), Kazakhstan ($531 million), and Uzbekistan ($404 million).
Australia was the leading supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China in the six-month period. It shipped 11.15 million tons of LNG worth $7.73 billion to China.
Turkmenistan currently exports natural gas to China via three pipelines passing along the Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan-China route. The pipeline system is capable of transporting 55 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas a year, with majority of the supplies provided by Turkmenistan and the rest provided by Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The agreement on the construction of the fourth branch of a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to China was agreed in February. It’s commissioning is expected to allow Turkmenistan to increase its annual gas deliveries to China by up to 65 bcm.
Turkmenistan exported around 34 bcm of natural gas to China last year.