Caterpillar will provide six Cat G3516C gas generator sets and two C18 generator sets. Each G3516C generator set will provide the gas compression stations with 1,555 kW (1,944 kV) of rated power at 1,500 revolutions per minute. The C18 generator sets will be utilised as emergency backup power for the gas compression stations.

Once completed, the Asian Gas Pipeline will transport 30 Bcm/a of natural gas from Turkmenistan to China and 10 Bcm/a of natural gas from Kazakhstan to China, thereby delivering approximately 2 per cent of China’s energy consumption.

The construction of the pipeline initially started in July 2008 and is due to be completed in late 2013 or early 2014. The 42 inch diameter pipeline, which is carried in two lines, will exceed 6,500 km, consisting of 200 km in Turkmenistan, 510.5 km in Uzbekistan, 1,300 km in Kazakhstan and 4,500 km in China.

The Asian Gas Pipeline is the region’s largest pipeline construction project and is a joint venture between KazMunayGas and China National Petroleum Corporation. The main contractors are KazStroyService and China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation.

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KazStroy Service will construct two gas compression stations and a gas metering station whilst China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation will build three gas compression stations in Kazakhstan.