The winners of a hard-fought competition in Kazakhstan are set to enrol in the Chinese University of Petroleum (CUP) to learn the skills necessary to begin work on a pipeline between the two countries.

A total of 24 Kazakh workers are taking part in the training and development programme, which will involve work on two 106.7 cm pipelines that will run oil and natural gas to China from fields and Turkmenistan.

Kazakhstan is set to receive natural gas from the fields once the pipelines are complete.

Kazinform reports that the first pipeline is due to be commissioned towards the end of the year.

Beyimbet Shayakhmetov, the director of the Central Asian Pipeline project, told the state news agency that in addition to the latest technology, construction will also be dependent on skilled workmanship.

The China National Petroleum Corporation announced the commencement of the project speaking to China Business News in August 2008.

"This [project] will largely increase the domestic demand for natural gas and become the major source for China's second west-east gas pipeline," said an unnamed spokesperson.

Global Education and Training event for Oil and Gas: Refining and Petrochemicals