The Xionggu Pipeline Automatic Welding Machine Jiaozhou Bay Subsea Natural Gas Pipeline Project has now entered the full construction stage. On March 15, 2022, the first weld of the Jiaozhou Bay Submarine Natural Gas Pipeline Project, a major infrastructure supporting project in Qingdao, was fired and welded in Jiaoxi Street, Jiaozhou City, marking that the project has entered the full construction stage. As an important gas source guarantee project for the "coal-to-gas" work of coal-fired boilers for heating in Qingdao's urban area, the Jiaozhou Bay submarine natural gas pipeline has been included in the three-year task of municipal practical work and urban renewal and urban construction in 2022, and will be put into operation in October 2022.

With a total length of 72 kilometers, of which 12 kilometers are in the submarine section, the Jiaozhou Bay submarine natural gas pipeline project is the longest sea-related city gas pipeline in China, and it is also the first natural gas pipeline to pass through the sea-crossing bridge and the first natural gas pipeline laid by land-to-sea "directional drilling" technology. The starting point of the project is the Zhangying Distribution Station of the National Pipeline Network, passing through Jiaozhou City, Chengyang District, entering the sea from the west of Nugukou Bridge, and after being disembarked by a hot Taineng heat source, it is connected with the "three horizontal and four vertical" sub-high-pressure gas pipelines in the urban area, and extends to the south to Huadian Qingdao Power Plant.

The total designed gas transmission capacity of the project is 3.6 billion cubic meters per year, which can meet the gas demand of large-scale gas-fired power generation projects and "coal-to-gas" projects in the Shanghai Cooperation Demonstration Zone, High-tech Zone, and urban areas along the way. It is estimated that 5.36 million tons of coal consumption (converted into standard coal), 5 million tons of carbon emissions, 21,600 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions, and 4,320 tons of dust emissions will be replaced every year, which will bring significant economic and social benefits. After the Jiaozhou Bay submarine natural gas pipeline project is completed and put into operation, it will play an important role in optimizing the adjustment of energy structure and building a "clean, low-carbon, safe and efficient" energy system, providing "full confidence" for Qingdao to take the lead in realizing the "double carbon" strategic goal.