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China National Offshore Oil Corporation’s Mengxi coal-to-natural gas pipeline has been designated as the **main gas supply route for the new area. Author/Source: Date: 2017-05-24 Clicks: 26. The Mengxi pipeline runs directly to the **new area, with a total length of approximately 1,279 kilometers; it passes through four provinces and municipalities: Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, and Tianjin. CNOOC’s Gas & Power Group is accelerating the progress of the coal-to-natural gas pipeline project in Mengxi, with the aim of supplying gas to areas such as the New Area as soon as possible. With the Ministry of Land and Resources granting approval for the pre-approval of the land use for this project, the Mengxi Pipeline Office now has over a hundred such approvals; the process of submitting them for final approval is underway, which means that the construction plan for CNOOC’s first inter-provincial natural gas transmission pipeline has been finalized. Accelerated approval process to reach the core area of the **new district**: On April 1, the Central Committee and the State Council decided to establish the **new district**. When the news arrived, the Mengxi Pipeline project team of China National Offshore Oil & Gas Group was in an uproar. “The pipeline connects directly to the core area of the new district, which comprises Xiong County, Rongcheng, and Anxin, and it features a Rongcheng distribution station as well as several distribution valve rooms, making it truly tailored for the needs of this new district. ”Xu Guilong, the general manager of the Mengxi Pipeline Project, pointed at the pipeline route map, filled with mixed emotions. It coincides with a **millennium-long plan, which is both an opportunity and a challenge. “As early as 2015, project approvals were almost halted in the area north of Baiyangdian in Hebei. ”To enable the pipeline routing plan to be implemented in Hebei, Wang Bo, director of the Mengxi Pipeline Hebei Liaison Office, learned that Hebei Province is currently undergoing regional planning adjustments. If the pipeline avoids this area, the project will be more likely to receive approval from the local authorities, but it will lose the opportunity to supply gas to that region ； If project approval is sought only after the new area plan receives central government approval, the opportunity to gain a foothold in that market will be lost. “As long as there is a glimmer of hope, we must strive for it with all our might! ”Xu Guilong firmly believes that, under the immense pressure of combating air pollution and the bans and restrictions on coal use, Hebei, which has long been facing difficulties in meeting its energy needs, has a chance of having its natural gas project plans approved. At the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016, the Mengxi Pipeline project team issued commitment letters to Baoding City and the Hebei Provincial Department of Land and Resources, pledging that if the pipeline affected the implementation of major plans in Baoding, or if its route conflicted with future new planning areas, partial adjustments would be made in the subsequent phase in accordance with the plans for those new areas, so as to meet their requirements. Ultimately, Baoding City and the Hebei Provincial Department of Land and Resources issued the route plan approval documents and the \"Project Site Selection Opinion\" on an exceptional basis, allowing the Mengxi pipeline route to pass through the current **New Area. The Mengxi pipeline was designated as the main gas supply channel for the **New Area. On April 10, at the meeting on the planning and coordination of urban gas and long-distance pipelines held under the auspices of the temporary management committee of the **New Area, the Mengxi pipeline was identified as the key mechanism for ensuring gas supply to this area; the initial plan called for a supply capacity of 500,000 cubic meters per hour, which amounts to 12 million cubic meters per day. In order to achieve gas supply to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region as soon as possible, back in 2016, CNOOC organized several specialized studies to analyze the construction plans and risk factors associated with the Mengxi pipeline. Adopting a cautious and proactive approach, it adjusted its strategy and decided on a plan that involved overall approval for the project, construction in phases, with priority given to building the section connecting Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei. By first completing this section of the pipeline, and by constructing a LNG connection line from the Mengxi pipeline to Tianjin, it was possible to release the LNG processing capacity of Tianjin’s receiving stations in advance. This approach allowed for mutual support between LNG and coal-derived natural gas, thereby helping to develop the natural gas market in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. **The new area has been designated as a key location in Beijing where functions unrelated to the capital’s role will be relocated, with an emphasis on green ecology and high-standard development. The demand for clean energy in this context aligns well with the natural gas of clean energy supplied by the Mengxi pipeline. “‘During the 12th Five-Year Plan period, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region experienced gas shortages to varying degrees. As a state-owned energy enterprise, CNOOC has officially approved the Mengxi pipeline project. This pipeline can be used to transport both the coal-to-natural gas produced by CNOOC itself and imported LNG; it also serves as a \"public conduit\" for transporting coal-to-natural gas from Inner Mongolia and Datong in Shanxi Province to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. ”Xu Guilong explained. On April 20, Wang Zhongan, General Manager of China National Offshore Oil Corporation, met with Liu Baoling, Director of the Temporary Management Committee of the **New Area, and reiterated that natural gas from CNOOC’s Tianjin LNG receiving station as well as coal-to-natural gas produced in Shanxi could be transported to the **New Area via the Mengxi pipeline, thereby providing a reliable source of clean energy for its development. This proposal was accepted and welcomed by the authorities there. “CNOOC, which has thrived by turning to the sea, regards the offshore oil and gas industry as its core business, while simultaneously advancing a natural gas strategy that includes offshore gas, liquefied natural gas, shale gas, and coal-to-natural gas. Coinciding with major historical strategies at the national level, such as air pollution control in North China, the integration of Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, the development of Beijing’s secondary city center, and the establishment of new economic zones, these developments have created new market opportunities for the Mengxi pipeline project, further strengthening the confidence of the people working at CNOOC. After eight years of hard work, the administrative approval processes were completed. The route had to pass through 108 medium and large rivers, intersect with nearly a hundred highways and 23 railways, and it even crossed the Yellow River and the South-to-North Water Diversion Project twice… Xu Guilong opened the atlas; what was originally a relatively straight route designed based on principles of economy and accessibility has now become winding like a goat’s path. This transformation was the result of their efforts in overcoming numerous challenges. The Qianli Qi Long project passes through 27 counties, districts and cities; the areas it traverses are subject to strict approval procedures. Various specialized evaluations such as route approval, site selection, preliminary land use assessment, as well as environmental impact assessments, energy efficiency reviews, water conservation assessments, and cultural heritage surveys must all be approved by local and central authorities. Eight years of hard work, involving communities and villages as well as various **ministries and departments; hundreds of approval documents, over 160 planning meetings, and 114 adjustments to the route… all to avoid important protected areas, primary water sources, scenic spots, mineral deposits, and other socially sensitive locations. The team consisted of 55 people, with 2 liaison officers assigned to each province. From route selection and site identification to on-site inspections and obtaining the necessary approvals, every meter of the 1,279-kilometer pipeline route – through deserts, mountains, hills, gullies, and plains – bore the footprints of the men from Inner Mongolia. “The tenacity to persevere, even in the face of difficulties, is the most common praise from local leaders who have worked with people from offshore oil companies. ”The colleagues from the External Coordination Department of the Mengxi Pipeline said that sincere waiting and perseverance are only one of the factors in solving problems. At its core, what moves the **department is the local desire for development driven by natural gas as a clean energy source. It is the perseverance of the CNPC workers that has made them truly understand the significance of the Mengxi Pipeline for local development. At present, the Mengxi Pipeline Project has been included in the 13th Five-Year Plans of four provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions, as well as in the **13th Five-Year Plan for Energy Development**. All the administrative approvals required prior to project approval have been completed, and the implementation of this pipeline project is just around the corner.