The Gwadar–Kashgar Crude Oil Pipeline is a planned initiative intending to build a

crude oil Petroleum, also known as crude oil or simply oil, is a naturally occurring, yellowish-black liquid chemical mixture found in geological formations, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons. The term ''petroleum'' refers both to naturally occurring u ...

pipeline connecting

Gwadar Gwadar (, ) is a Port, port city on the southwestern coast of the Administrative units of Pakistan, Pakistani province of Balochistan, Pakistan, Balochistan. The city is located on the shores of the Arabian Sea, opposite Oman and has a populati ...

, Pakistan to

Kashgar Kashgar () or Kashi ( zh, c=喀什) is a city in the Tarim Basin region of southern Xinjiang, China. It is one of the westernmost cities of China, located near the country's border with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. For over 2,000 years, Kashgar ...

, China. The project has approximated an investment of a substantial amount, around $10 billion, for the pipeline's construction. The anticipated transmission capacity of the pipeline is projected to reach up to one million barrels per day.

Background

The pipeline holds strategic significance by enabling diversification and acceleration of crude oil imports for

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

. Given Gwadar's proximity to the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...

, where approximately 40% of the world's crude oil is sourced, this venture is vital. Sources suggest that China currently satisfies 50% of its oil demand by importing from the

Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

. The pipeline is expected to substantially shorten the transportation distance for delivering crude oil to China, ultimately bolstering energy security.

Economic impact

The Gwadar–Kashgar Crude Oil Pipeline possesses the potential to reshape not only Pakistan's economy but also the broader region, sparking economic growth and fostering prosperity. This pipeline initiative is anticipated to stimulate economic activities, leading to positive financial outcomes for the region.

References

{{reflist Oil pipelines in Pakistan Oil pipelines in China China–Pakistan relations Energy infrastructure in Pakistan Energy infrastructure in China Proposed energy infrastructure