OREANDA-NEWS. June 21, 2011. PetroChina has successfully pumped natural gas into its West-to-East pipepline from its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving and regasification facility, four weeks after taking the first LNG cargo.

It suggests the leading gas supplier in China could now route imported gas via its trunk gas pipe to eastern China regions including the financial hub of Shanghai, increasing supplies for gas-fired power plants and other users.

 The start-up of the Jiangsu LNG project used 5,000 tonnes of LNG, 700 tonnes less than earlier plans, and the test process was the shortest in China, China Huanqiu Constructing & Engineering Corp, a unit of China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC) and lead constructor of the terminal, said in a report on its website.

 Jiangsu LNG, operated by PetroChina's Kunlun Energy Co Ltd , received the first LNG cargo of 145,000 cubic metres or some 63,800 tonnes on May 24.

 A second cargo has also arrived, according to an industry source who is familiar with the early-stage work of the terminal.

 The terminal in Rudong, Jiangsu province has two LNG tanks with storage capacity of 160,000 cubic metres each and a third one is under construction.

 Six gas-fired power plants in Jiangsu and Henan provinces, both facing summer power shortfalls, ran at full tilt in May as PetroChina boosted gas supplies to 14 million cubic metres per day from 13.8 million cubic metres a day in April and only 4.5 million cubic metres a day in January.

 China's natural gas imports hit a monthly record in May, in part due to higher LNG purchases to meet rising gas demand in power plants.