As of August 22, cumulative natural gas deliveries through the initial hub of the West-East Gas Pipeline's second and third lines, the Khorgos Compressor Station, have officially exceeded 600 billion cubic meters, according to China Oil & Gas Pipeline Network Corporation.
Situated at a critical juncture of the Belt and Road Initiative, the Khorgos Compressor Station is responsible for channeling trans-national natural gas from Central Asia and Ili coal-based gas to central and eastern China. With an annual transmission capacity of 60 billion cubic meters, the facility holds the title for the largest installed capacity of any single station in Asia. Since commencing operations in 2009, it has maintained safe and stable functioning for more than 6,000 days, achieving a record daily throughput of up to 163 million cubic meters.
Dong Hao, an operations staff member at the Khorgos work zone under the China Oil & Gas Pipeline Network Corporation's Western Pipeline Company, highlighted the environmental impact. He noted that 600 billion cubic meters of natural gas equals replacing over 798 million tonnes of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 877 million tonnes. Through the West-East Gas Pipeline system, this clean energy supply serves the daily gas requirements of more than 500 million people.
The Khorgos Compressor Station has fully deployed an integrated intelligent operations and maintenance framework. This system incorporates pan-tilt zoom laser methane detectors, machine-vision AI analytics, and compressor smart diagnostic tools, enabling comprehensive situational awareness and centralized control. As a result, station management has transitioned from conventional manual patrols to advanced smart oversight. Additionally, leveraging residual heat from gas turbine compressor units, the site hosts the nation's first waste-heat power generation initiative at a gas transmission station. This project achieves zero direct emissions from station machinery while generating over 65 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.
Zhao Jilong, head of the Khorgos work zone, outlined future priorities. He stated that the operations team will continue to harness intelligent technologies to guarantee the secure and stable operation of the second and third pipeline lines, ensuring the safe, uninterrupted flow of more than 100 million cubic meters of natural gas daily to regions across the country.