October 8 — The "Ping'an" Double Shield TBM, deployed on Tunnel No. 4 of the Guozigou Pipeline Project- a key control project of the West-East Gas Transmission Line 2 and Line 3 in Yili, Xinjiang — has successfully completed its second launch.
The Guozigou Pipeline Project features a total pipeline length of 32 kilometers, with a designed annual gas transmission capacity of 60 billion cubic meters. It consists of four mountain tunnels with a combined length of 23.16 kilometers, employing a double-pipe-in-trench installation method. Two TBMs developed by CREG — "Ping'an" and "Green" — are used for the tunneling works.
On July 28, "Ping'an" successfully completed the breakthrough of Tunnel No. 2 on the Guozigou Pipeline Project, which is 4,230 meters long. On October 8, it achieved its second launch on Tunnel No. 4. The Tunnel No. 4 drive is 6,377 meters long, making it one of the key long tunnels on the entire project. Along the alignment, geological conditions are complex and variable, with well-developed fault structures, poor surrounding rock integrity, and water-rich strata — placing extremely high demands on tunneling methodology and equipment adaptability. To date, construction on all four tunnels of the Guozigou Pipeline Project has reached 65% of the overall progress.
The West-East Gas Transmission Line 2 and Line 3 are a vital component of China's western oil and gas energy strategic corridor, with an annual transmission capacity of 60 billion cubic meters. Since commissioning, they have cumulatively transmitted over 557 billion cubic meters of natural gas, benefiting 500 million people along the pipeline route. Once completed, the project will operate in conjunction with existing pipelines and serve as mutual backup, significantly enhancing the overall safety of the West-East Gas Transmission pipeline system and carrying great significance for safeguarding national energy security.
