The West-East Gas Pipeline Project, begun in July 2002, is proceeding smoothly, said a manager with the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) Friday.

"We are fully confident of meeting the schedule for gas supply to Shanghai by Jan. 1, 2005," said Sun Longde, general manager of the Tarim oilfield company affiliated to the CNPC.

The West-East Gas Pipeline Project, which has attracted investment of over 200 billion yuan (24.1 billion US dollars), is designed to transport natural gas from China's west to eastern areas. As the largest zone for natural gas exploration in China, the Tarim Basin is the most important resource place for the project.

A central processing factory as well as roads in the oilfield were under construction, and drilling work would begin in late September, Sun said, noting the paving work of about 170 gas pipelines around the gasfield was close to an end.

The Tarim Basin, occupying 560,000 square kilometers, boasts natural gas reserves of eight trillion cubic meters. After completion of the project, the basin is expected to provide 18 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year for 30 years to Shanghai.

(Xinhua News Agency September 6, 2003)