Soviet pipeline construction lagging, but able to meet production

A detailed discussion of present and projected Soviet gas, crude, and products pipeline projects covers estimates of the amount of pipeline construction necessary for maintaining and increasing supplies of natural gas from remote Siberian gasfields (at least one 5000 to 7000 km 56 in. line, with a capacity of about 2.9 billion cu ft/day, each year); the estimated cost of such a line ($3.6 billion at mid-1978 rates or $2.4 million/mi, and perhaps $5 billion at present rates); the total length of the Soviet gas line network (116,700 km in early 1979, about 3.5% below the planned figure); discrepancies between actual construction in 1978 and 1979 and construction goals set in the 1976-1980 five-year plan, and difficulties hampering the meeting of the goals; crude oil projects, including the 3300 km, 48 in. line from the mid-Ob field to refineries in Perm, Gorky, and four other cities; export pipelines, including the 2677 km, 2.7 billion cu ft/day 56 in. ''Soyuz'' line from the Orenburg gasfield to the Czechoslovakian border, which went on stream several months ahead of schedule in January 1979; other gas export plans; and pipeline construction equipment.