Russia has been seeking an agreement with China to construct the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline. The pipeline would transport 50 billion cubic metres of natural gas a year from the Yamal region in northern Russia to China via Mongolia.
President Putin of Russia initially proposed the Power of Siberia 2 to Xi in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The consequence of Russia’s invasion was a steep plunge in the European Union’s gas imports from Russia.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Russia has heavily leaned on the Chinese market to make up for its lost exports to Europe. In 2021, before the war, Russia exported over 157 billion cubic meters of gas to Europe
Construction of the pipeline was initially scheduled to begin in 2024, but it has been plagued with commercial disputes.
The Power of Siberia 2 is now critical to Russia amid the European Union’s plans to halt all remaining gas imports from Russia by 2027.
The proposed pipeline would strengthen Russia’s ability to export gas to China and other Asian markets.
Russia’s first Power of Siberia pipeline came online in 2019. It achieved its full capacity of 38 bcm per year by the end of 2023.
As the European Union moves away from Russian gas, PoS-2 is part of Moscow’s long-term energy pivot to Asia.
The Power of Siberia 2 Pipeline: Russia’s Pivot to China
The proposed pipeline would bring gas from Russia’s massive Yamal peninsula in western Siberia through Mongolia to China.
The first Power-of-Siberia pipeline spans 3,000 km through Siberia and into China’s northeastern Heilongjiang province.
According to a map by Russia’s Gazprom, the new route would cut through eastern Mongolia and northern China.
Key Specifications
- Origin: Yamal gas fields, Western Siberia, Russia
- Route: Yamal Peninsula (Russia) → Mongolia → Northern China
- Length: 2,600 km
- Capacity: 50 BCM/year
- Operator: Gazprom
- End Market: Northern China, including key industrial hubs