ESPO–China Spur (Skovorodino–Daqing)

Overview

Spur from ESPO mainline (Skovorodino) to Daqing, China. ~1,030 km. Capacity ~600,000 bpd. Commissioned 2011. Supplies China under long-term "loans for oil" agreements.

Geopolitical context

Built under "loans for oil" deals where China Development Bank provided ~$25B in financing to Rosneft and Transneft in exchange for guaranteed 20-year supply contracts. This financial structure — Chinese capital for locked-in Russian supply — has been replicated across Belt and Road energy projects. The spur terminates at Daqing, China's oldest major oilfield (now declining), connecting Russian supply to China's existing refining infrastructure. Since 2022, flows have increased as China became Russia's top oil customer, purchasing ~2 million bpd total (pipeline + tanker).

Nearby

• Daqing Oil field · ~144 km
• ESPO Pipeline (Eastern Siberia–Pacific Ocean) Oil pipeline · ~224 km
• Power of Siberia Gas pipeline · ~531 km
• Kozmino Bay (ESPO Terminal) Port / transit hub · ~839 km
• Tianjin / Hebei Refining Hub Refinery · ~1014 km
• Sulige Gas field · ~1081 km