Japan Explores Importing Gas By Pipeline: Project would bring gas from Russia's Sakhalin Island

摘要

Japanese lawmakers could push Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to rekindle talks to build a gas pipeline from Russia's Sakhalin Island to Japan's northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido, during the Abe's summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin planned for this fall. Bloomberg reports that 33 lawmakers, led by Naokazu Takemoto, will present a proposal to kick-start the project, which would require the construction of a 840 mi. (1350 km) pipeline that could deliver up to 700 Bcfy (20 × 10~9 m~3/yr) - equal to about 17% of Japan's total gas consumption in 2013. The group estimates the project to cost US$6 billion and to take about five years to complete. Takemoto is a member of Prime Minister Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. In 2013, Japanese firms Tokyo Gas, Japex Corp. and Sumikin Engineering Co. were reportedly looking into the pipeline, which could transport gas as far south as Japan's Ibaraki Prefecture. However, none of the companies confirmed their interest.