Russia and China are likely to reach an agreement on Russian natural gas supplies to China in mid-2011, the deputy head of Russian energy giant Gazprom said Thursday.

Russia would start to deliver gas to China via the West Siberia pipeline in 2015, said Alexander Medvedev.

Gazprom's natural gas output in 2010 was expected to be higher than the 2008 figure of 549.7 billion cubic meters. By 2012 to 2013, global demand for gas would reach its pre-crisis level, said the company.

Gazprom and China National Petroleum Corporation signed a framework agreement on Russian natural gas exports to China last year. Under the agreement, Russia will deliver 70 billion cubic meters of gas to China annually via two pipelines.

The west gas pipeline that originates in West Siberia will transport an annual 30 billion cubic meters of gas, while the annual capacity of the east pipeline stretching from East Siberia to Sakhalin island is estimated at 38 billion cubic meters.

(Xinhua News Agency January 23, 2010)