China increases gas imports from Central Asia fivefold

China has announced a 500% increase in gas imports from Central Asia
by 2015. The pipeline connecting China and Central Asia will have a
capacity of 55-60 billion cubic meters annually, China National
Petroleum Corporation said, RBC reports.

Rising gas exports to China threaten the interests of Gazprom.
Turkmenistan provided 4 billion cubic meters of gas to China through
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. This indicator will reach 13 billion cubic
meters by the end of this year and 30 billion next year.

The gas pipeline built in 2009 has a capacity of 40 billion cubic
meters. It will be expanded in the near future. Further increase of
gas supplies is planned by the CNPC and Central Asia Gas Co. Two new
pipelines will be built and launched by 2013.

Gazprom failed to reach an agreement on gas prices for China. The next
round of talks was planned for September.