The West – East Gas Pipeline (WEGP) is the world’s longest natural gas pipeline and this order will take the number of Rolls-Royce RB211 gas turbine compressor packages installed on this pipeline and associated feed and branch lines to 45. This order follows contract awards over the past five years for other major gas pipelines in India, Europe, Russia, Kazakhstan, North America and Algeria.

Valued at $US65 million, the contract is for six RB211 gas turbine compressor packages to be installed on one of China’s most important and expensive energy projects, the second WEGP. The gas turbine units will be installed at two new compressor stations along the 2,400 km eastern section of the line. They will join six RB211 units currently being installed along the 2,450 km western section and 19 RB211 compressor sets already in service on the first WEGP.

Rolls-Royce Executive Vice-President – Oil & Gas Tony Ruegger said “We are delighted that once again PetroChina has put their trust in Rolls-Royce technology for this vital gas pipeline.

“The 19 RB211 packages currently operating in China have been in service for nearly half-a-million hours, with the longest running engine achieving over 34,000 hours. Using Rolls-Royce aero engine technology, these gas turbine packages continue to provide very high levels of performance and reliability," Mr Ruegger added.

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The second WEGP will have a total length of 8,859 km made up of one main trunk line of 4,859 km and eight sub-lines. It will transport 30 Bcm of natural gas every year from reserves in Central Asia, across 15 provinces to major regions such as Zhejiang, Shanghai, Guangdong and Hong Kong. This countrywide distribution of gas will help boost China’s clean energy consumption, saving an expected 11 million tonnes of coal usage every year and thereby reducing harmful emissions.

The centrifugal gas pipeline compressors for the six new RB211 gas turbine packages will be model RFBB-36, also designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce.

All of the equipment for the second WEGP eastern section is scheduled for delivery by the fourth quarter of 2011.