This research has presented a comprehensive long-term vision of the International Pipeline on the basis of the regional balance of natural gas supply and demand in Northeast Asia.

Objectives

Current and Future Trends of Energy in the Northeast Asia
This research provides latest information on the current and future trends of energy in the Northeast Asian countries and areas and their natural gas policies. The results can be used as a reference concerning the energy situation of related countries and areas.

Regional Balance of Natural Gas Supply and Demand
This research examines the future natural gas supply and demand of each Northeast Asian country and area by regions. As a result, excluding their own consumption, East Siberia and the Far East, which are geographically near to Northeast Asia among the regions of Eastern Russia, will be able to export 28 BCM in 2010 that will not be enough to meet the future shortage of natural gas in Northeast Asia. Therefore, it is obvious that Northeast Asian countries and areas have to consider importing natural gas from West Siberia and Central Asia who have enormous natural gas resources.

The Long-Term Vision of the International Pipeline
Taking account of the regional balance of supply and demand, this research presents the long-term vision of the International Pipeline, setting 2020 as the target year. Its basic concept is Ladder-type Trunk Pipeline + Circular Line. The Ladder-type Trunk Pipeline consists of two trunk lines: Northern Trunk Line, which connects West Siberia, Krasnoyarsk, Irkutsk, Sakha Republic and Sakhalin, and Southern Trunk Line, which connects Central Asia, Northwest China and Shanghai. The Circular Line, which connects each demander, is a great circular pipeline. It connects north Sakhalin, Khabarovsk, northeast China, Shanghai and Japan. The Circular Line consists of two sub-circular lines: Japan Sea Circular Pipeline and Bohai Circular Pipeline.

Socio-Economic Impacts of the International Pipeline
The Construction of the International Pipeline will bring socio-economic impacts on Northeast Asian countries and areas. Main impacts are the following six:

• Conservation of Global Environment and Local Environment
• Introduction of Principles of Competition in Energy Sector
• Assurance of Energy Security
• Coping with Changes in Energy Demand Structure
• Dissolution of Non-electrification Areas
• Establishment of Relations of Mutual Reliance among Northeast Asian Countries and Areas

Subject of Future Investigation
Important steps toward the realization of the International Pipeline in Northeast Asia is to investigate the following two items:

• First is to construct a framework of International Cooperation. In the process of establishing the framework of the future international cooperation, it will become possible to create a community and constitute a Northeast Asian Energy Charter;
• Second is to support the promotion of individual projects, such as the Irkutsk project and the Sakhalin project, cooperating in developing technologies for the construction of pipelines and the utilization of natural gas and financing of the projects

How to Utilize This Report
It is important for NAGPF to make public announcement of the results of this research "A Long-Term Vision of Natural Gas Trunkline in Northeast Asia" and approach the governments of countries and areas concerned and international organizations, such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the International Energy Agency for the realization of the International Pipeline.

Editorial Committee Asia Gas & Pipeline Cooperation Research Center of China Prof. H. Jianyi Asian Pipeline Research Society of Japan Prof. M. Hirata Energy Systems Institute, Irkutsk Prof. B. Saneev Korea Pan-Asian Natural Gas & Pipeline Association Prof. J. M. Kang Petroleum Authority of Mongolia Mr. A. Erdenedorj Sakhaneftegaz Acad. V. Larionov Working Members Asia Gas & Pipeline Cooperation Research Center of China   Ms. Y. Chen Mr. J. M. Li   Asian Pipeline Research Society of Japan   Dr. K. Asakura Mr. S. Abe Mr. M. Minami   Dr. K. Ohashi Mr. N. Kuroda Dr. K. Hiraishi   Mr. Y. Nasu     Energy Systems Institute, Irkutsk   Prof. B. Saneev Dr. A. Sokolov Prof. A. Kler   Dr. S. Popov Prof. Y. Kononov Prof. M. Mandelbaum   Dr. A. Filippov Mr. L. Platonov Mr. A. Kalmichek   Dr. N. Ilkevich     Korea Pan-Asian Natural Gas & Pipeline Association   Mr. H. B. Sunwoo Dr. J. R. Rie Dr. M. N. Kim   Dr. G. C. Jung Mr. H. B. Lee   Petroleum Authority of Mongolia   Dr. K. B. Kim     Sakhaneftegaz   Dr. V. Efimov Acad. A. Safronov Prof. N. Petrov   Dr. V. Matveev