China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) said Tuesday that on June 27 a second natural gas processing plant serving the Sulige field was put into operation, carrying natural gas to Beijing directly through the second Shaan-Jing Gas Pipeline.

The plant, comprising three sets of deoiling and dehydration units, six sets of gas compressors and auxiliary facilities such as flare stacks, has an annual processing capacity of 5 billion cubic meters and is by far the largest of its kind in China. The No.1 plant, coming onstream in 2006, has an annual processing capacity of 3 billion cubic meters.

Currently, the Sulige Gas Field produces 15 million cubic meters of natural gas each day. As the No.2 plant placed in service, equipment load and operating pressure of the No. 1 plant can be moderated to ensure safe and sufficient gas supply to the Shaan-Jing Gas Pipelines.