China and Kazakhstan are planning to enhance their co-operation in the hydrocarbon sector. While the first pipeline linking the two countries started operations last December, China seems keen to build a second oil pipeline and a new gas pipeline.

Kazakh FM Tokayev, who is on a visit to Beijing now, discussed these issues with the Chinese government. It seems that bilateral agreements are to be signed in the fall, when President Nazarbayev will visit China.

The two planned pipelines seem to be part of an overarching Chinese ‘Central Asia Energy Strategy’, aimed at further diversifying the waking giant’s energy supply:

To add to the oil project, China is promoting construction of a gas pipeline via Kazakhstan to link Shanghai with the lucrative gas fields in the Amu-Darya, Turkmenistan. The route could be from Bukhara to Alma-Ata and then up to Atasu-Alashenkou oil pipeline, running parallel to it.

For background on Turkmenistan’s gas deal with China, Peter’s post contains a lot of info.