Final tunnel completed on Yichang oil pipeline to ease Three Gorges traffic

By Yan Wanqin.

The final tunnel has been completed on a refined oil pipeline project in Yichang, aimed at easing pressure on the ship locks of the Three Gorges Dam.

With all 18 tunnels now finished, pipeline installation is set to begin soon, which will improve the function of the Yangtze River as a key waterway.

The last tunnel to be finished was the 1,224-meter Gangjiayan Tunnel, located in Sanjianxi Village. Its close proximity to the Yichang-Wanzhou railway presented significant construction challenges. To tackle complex geological conditions, the construction team used advanced techniques such as pipe-roof support systems, a cantilevered roadheader, and geological radar forecasting.

With a designed annual transport capacity of 5.8 million tons and a total investment of 7.6 billion yuan (US$1.05 billion), the long-distance pipelines span approximately 110 kilometers, including 18 tunnels totaling 24.1 kilometers.

The project’s route begins in Zhicheng Town, Yidu City, and passes through the Dianjun and Yiling districts before ending in Maoping Town, Zigui County. The project also includes docks and oil depots

The route of the refined oil pipeline transportation project.

The completion of this project will revolutionize refined oil transport along the Yangtze. Currently, ships carrying these products to the upper reaches of the river must pass through both the Gezhouba Dam and Three Gorges Dam ship locks. Once the project is operational, refined oil will be transported via the pipeline, bypassing the dams entirely.

Bian Jianxin contributed to this story.