BEIJING, Oct. 22 (UPI) -- Russian natural gas company Gazprom said it was examining the capabilities of the natural gas transmission capabilities of its Chinese counterparts.
Alexei Miller, Gazprom's top executive, met in Beijing with Chairman of China National Petroleum Corp. Zhou Jiping. Gazprom in a statement said both sides examined the prospects for bilateral ties with "special attention" paid to Russian natural gas supplies to Chinese markets.
"They got acquainted with the main capabilities and the work of the operations and dispatch control unit of the Chinese gas transmission system," the Russian company said Monday.
Gazprom and CNPC in March signed a memorandum of understanding for natural gas deliveries through eastward pipelines.
CNPC in June took a 20 percent stake in a liquefied natural gas plant planned by Russian gas producer Novatek on the Yamal Peninsula. CNPC said the facility would eventually produce 16.5 million tons of LNG per year.
China is expected to lead the world in terms of energy consumption growth. Russia is the world's largest producer of natural gas though the United States is catching up.
