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Russia starts building major Asian gas pipeline

Russia on Friday started construction of a major gas pipeline supplying its Pacific Ocean port city of Vladivostok, which could eventually be used to feed exports of gas to Japan.

The pipeline is due to be completed before Vladivostok hosts the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group in 2012, Gazprom said in a statement announcing the start of construction.

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin attended the inauguration ceremony in Russia's far eastern Khabarovsk region and pushed a button to start welding of a section of pipe, television pictures showed.

"The priority for gas in East Siberia and the Far East is above all to serve the domestic market," Putin said.

However, Russia's state-controlled gas giant Gazprom has said the pipeline could eventually be used to feed exports of gas to East Asian countries, including energy-hungry Japan.

Earlier this year, Gazprom head Alexei Miller said during a visit to Tokyo that gas exports to Japan through Vladivostok would be possible once Russia's own needs were met.

When completed, the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok pipeline will be 1,800 kilometres (1,100 miles) long and will be able to transport 30 billion cubic metres of gas per year, Gazprom said.

The pipeline will be ready for use in the third quarter of 2011, ahead of the APEC gathering, Gazprom said. Russia is pursuing a number of infrastructure projects in Vladivostok aimed at improving the city in time for the summit.