China planning new airport in Taklimakan Desert
30 April 2009
Chinese authorities are planning to construct a new airport in the country's largest desert, according to state news agency Xinhua.
The airport, which will be situated in the Taklimakan desert, in the northwestern autonomous region of Xinjiang, will cost an estimated CNY 290 million (US$ 42.46 million) and will be constructed by Xinjiang Airport (Group) Co in 2015.
The new airport will service the Tarim Oilfield, which is operated by China's largest onshore oil producer, PetroChina.
The company's Tangzhong oilfield in the centre of the Taklimakan is currently reached via 500 km-long highway that crosses the desert between the cities of Tazhong and Korla, where the headquarters of the Tarim Oilfield is located.
A makeshift airport was put into operation in the Taklimakan Desert in 1988, but was abandoned in 1998 when the highway opened to traffic.
There are 14 airports currently operational in Xinjiang, which is expected to increase to 21 by the 2015.
