Western Crude Oil Pipeline

This article is part of the Global Fossil Infrastructure Tracker, a project of Global Energy Monitor and the Center for Media and Democracy.

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Western Crude Oil Pipeline is an oil pipeline in China.

Location

The pipeline originates in Urumqi, Xinjiang, and terminates in Lanzhou, China.

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Project Details

• Operator: CNPC
• Current capacity: 400,000 barrels per day
• Length: 4,000 km / 2,485 mi
• Status: Operating
• Start Year: 2007

Background

The pipeline delivers crude oil produced from Tarim Oil Field, Xinjiang and Tuha Oilfields, as well as those imported from Kazakhstan through Alashankou-Dushanzi Crude Pipeline, to the Lanzhou Refinery and Yumen Refining And Petrochemical Plant. Construction began in March 2005, and it commenced operations on 30 June 2007.

The Western Crude Oil Pipeline is China's longest pipeline of its kind, providing the longest transmission distance, the highest designed pressure, and the largest designed delivery capacity at the time of its commissioning in 2007. It is constrained both by its oil sources and the downstream storage capacity, however, causing the pipeline to be operated at low flow rates in 2007-2008, with a high risk of pipeline coagulation and other transportation difficulties in winter. At the end of 2008, the pipeline operators adopted blending (dilution of heavy crude oil to reduce viscosity) to improve oil transportation in the pipeline and reduce storage burden of the downstream refineries.