"National Network" layout accelerates, three main natural gas pipelines commence construction simultaneously

The first year of the “14th Five-Year Plan” marks the acceleration of the nationwide natural gas network layout. According to the National Pipeline Group, on February 28, the key infrastructure projects—the Su-Wan-Yu Main Line, Wen 23-Anging Natural Gas Pipeline, and Shandong Pipeline Network North Main Line (Phase I)—began construction simultaneously in Jiangsu, Anhui, Henan, and Shandong.

This signifies a new stage in the construction of the “Nationwide One Network” for natural gas, which is crucial for improving the overall layout of the national natural gas pipeline network, promoting regional energy structure transformation, and supporting high-quality economic development.

Su-Wan-Yu Main Line Project. Photo provided by the National Pipeline Group.

The Su-Wan-Yu Main Line project starts from the Tongyu Branch Station in Yancheng City, Jiangsu Province, and ends at the Lu Shandong Compression Station in Pingdingshan City, Henan Province. It passes through 14 cities and 29 counties (districts) across Jiangsu, Anhui, and Henan provinces. The pipeline is 822.5 kilometers long, with a design pressure of 10 MPa and an annual transmission capacity of 18.3 billion cubic meters.

The Wen 23-Anging Natural Gas Pipeline project is a key route for “North to South Gas Transmission.” The newly built pipeline is 645.5 kilometers long, starting from the Wen 23 Gas Storage and Injection Station in Puyang County, Puyang City, Henan Province, passing through 8 cities and 20 districts (counties) in Henan, Shandong, and Anhui provinces, and ending at the Anging Liaison Station in Daguan District, Anging City, Anhui Province. It has a design pressure of 10 MPa, a designed capacity of 15 billion cubic meters, and a long-term capacity of 25.3 billion cubic meters.

Wen 23-Anging Natural Gas Pipeline. Photo provided by the National Pipeline Group.

The Shandong Pipeline Network North Main Line (Phase I) is 257 kilometers long, passing through Yantai and Weifang cities, with an annual gas transmission capacity of 11.8 billion cubic meters.

According to the National Pipeline Group, once these three main pipelines are completed, they will significantly enhance the density and interconnectivity of the pipeline network in central and eastern China. This will be vital for improving the overall layout of the national natural gas network, promoting regional energy structure transformation, and supporting high-quality economic development.

During construction, the group has promoted the use of flexible internal welding robots, which ensure welding quality while greatly increasing welding speed and construction efficiency. Fully automated circumferential welds are inspected using AUT (Automatic Ultrasonic Testing), which effectively improves detection efficiency and accuracy, ensuring weld quality. Station sites along the project route adopt standardized construction, utilizing modular and skid-mounted techniques to enhance equipment integration and prefabrication rates. This approach promotes centralized procurement and mechanized construction, effectively saving 10% to 20% of land area for stations and valve chambers, while further improving construction efficiency.

It is learned that the National Pipeline Group continues to improve the “Nationwide One Network” layout. At the start of the “14th Five-Year Plan,” it increased investment in energy infrastructure. The combined investment in the three main pipelines under construction exceeds 30 billion yuan, which can effectively drive the development of related industries such as steel, equipment manufacturing, and construction. This will better support the development of a modern industrial system, ensure national energy security, and promote high-quality growth, injecting strong momentum into the building of an energy powerhouse.