China's
key oil producers may suspend gasoline exports: report
AFP
BEIJING
Petroleumworld.com
08 30 07
Two of China's largest oil producers may suspend
gasoline exports in September to guarantee domestic supply amid surging international
crude prices, state media reported Friday.
Sinopec and China National Petroleum Corp, the parent of PetroChina, slashed
gasoline exports to less than 100,000 tonnes in August and will continue to do
so, or even suspend the export, next month, the China Securities Journal said.
The domestic supply of refined oil has been affected by the international crude
price surge since June, peaking at 78 dollars per barrel at one point, worsening
losses of Chinese refineries and causing some small ones to close down, it said.
In July, Sinopec and CNPC submitted applications to the government for raising
refined oil prices. But the plan was rebuffed amid growing public concerns on
the country's rising inflation.
Earlier this month, the government required the two firms to tightly control
their refined oil exports to guarantee supply at home and strictly conform with
the official price policy to keep the price stable, the newspaper said.
China's fast economic boom has sharply driven up the country's oil demand and
has made it more sensitive to international price changes.
In 2006, China's net oil imports reached 162.9 million tonnes, up 19.6 percent
over the previous year, while imports accounted for 47 percent of the country's
total oil consumption.
AFP 31 0438 GMT 08 07
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