[Translations of title and excerpts of original article in Chinese-language published on AM730, provided by Business & Human Rights Resource Centre]
Hong Kong natural gas pipeline hidden in the seabedUnited Nations' initiative to promote corporate social responsibility
2 October 2013
...Our source has disclosed that Dapeng natural gas does not serve Shenzhen residents. The reason why it runs through high-pressure pipeline beneath downtown Shenzhen is to transport natural gas to Huizhou as quickly as possible. Even if the gas is too much for Huizhou to consume, it has to be sent over as soon as possible to secure profits. As revealed in the annual report of Dapeng, the imported liquefied natural gas is loaded from Northwest Australia onto vessels. It is then transported to a terminal port to get unloaded, and stored in storage tanks at ultra-low temperatures of -162 degree Celsius under normal pressure; then converted to natural gas by increased pressureaccording to clients’ needs, and transported through the underground pipeline to distribution sites.
Natural gas delivered to Hong Kong companies would not pass the downtown, a Hong Kong Electric spokesperson said. The 92 kilometres of gas pipeline from Dapeng LNG station to Lamma Power Station is buried three metres underneath the seabed and is far from residential units. It was constructed by Hong Kong Electric, and the pressure of the natural gas pipeline is at the normal level of 8 to 9 MPa, which fully complies to design standards. The underwater section of the pipeline in Shenzhen is even protected by rock layers to enhance safety and reliability. The reason why Hong Kong Electric would invest in Dapeng LNG is mainly to ensure that natural gas can be stably and securely transported from receiving stations to its power plants.
Towngas’ spokesperson indicated that Towngas owns only a 3% share, and does not participate in the daily management of Dapeng. The natural gas received via receiving stations is transported to Hong Kong via pipelines under the seabed, at a pressure of 9 MPa. The pipeline's route [in Hong Kong] is far from residential areas. It underwent risk assessment at the design stage, and was only built and operated upon approval by the [Hong Kong] Electrical and Mechanical Services Department. Towngas would refer to international standards, consider the pressure, material, pipe diameter, pipe wall thickness, and safety index of the pipeline, as well as nearby population density so that different factors were taken into consideration in the final decision on [placing the pipeline at] a safe distance [from local populations].