The construction of pipeline was agreed between China and Kazakhstan in 1997. The first section of pipeline from the Aktobe region's oil fields to the Atyrau was completed in 2003. The construction of pipeline from to Alashankou started in September 2004 and was completed in December 2005. The construction of Kenkiyak–Kumkol section was agreed between Kazakhstan and China on 18 August 2007. This section was completed on 11 July 2009. The pipeline was developed by the China National Petroleum Corporation and the Kazakh oil company KazMunayGas. Currently capacity is at 14 million tons per year. The pipeline is expected to reach nominal capacity of 20 million tons per year in 2014.
Technical description
The long pipeline runs from Atyrau in Kazakhstan to Alashankou in China's Xinjiang. The Kenkiyak-Atyrau section of the pipeline is long and has a capacity of. Capacity of the pipeline maybe upgraded to in the future. The pipeline was built and is operated by MunaiTas a joint venture between CNPC and KazMunayGas. The Atasu-Alashankou section of the pipeline cost US$700 million. It is long and has a capacity of. Capacity of this section might be upgraded to by 2011. The pipeline includes an oil metering station at the Alataw Pass. The pipeline was built and is operated by a joint venture between CNODC and KazTrans Oil JSC. The first oil through this pipeline reached the refinery in August 2006. The Kenkiyak-Kumkol section is long. It has initial transportation capacity of 10 million tons per year. This section has reached its full capacity in 2011.
In Alashankou, the pipeline is connected with the Alashankou–Dushanzi Crude Oil Pipeline, which is a long pipeline connecting the Kazakhstan–China oil pipeline with Dushanzi District. The capacity of pipeline is 10 million tons of oil per year and it supplies mainly the Dushanzi refinery. The pipeline became operational on 21 December 2005 and the first oil through this pipeline reached to the refinery on 29 July 2006. The pipeline is constructed and operated by the China NationalPetroleum Corporation.
Oil supplies
The Kazakhstan–China oil pipeline is supplied from the Aktobe region's fields and from the Kumkol oil field. In the future, the main supply source will be Kashagan field. The pipeline is used also for the transportation of oil from Russia's western Siberia by connection with the Omsk –Pavlodar –Shymkent–Türkmenabat pipeline in Atasu oil terminal. Oil is transported through this pipeline by Russian companiesTNK-BP and Gazprom Neft.
