The Ministry of Commerce had kept its 2005 crude oil export quota for foreign-invested companies unchanged at 7.92 million metric tons, a ministry official said.

The quota for CNOOC Ltd., an overseas listed company, remained the same as it was last year, an official from the company��s investor's relations department said.

CNOOC Ltd. could export up to 7 million tons of crude oil, while Petrochina Co. could export up to 920,000 tons, a statement posted on the ministry's Web site said.

"CNOOC Ltd.��s quota is unchanged from 2004," the official said.

Like last year, CNOOC Ltd. has the lion's share of the national quota because of its many joint venture companies with foreign partners that are based on the Chinese mainland.

"Since CNOOC Ltd. has many joint venture oil fields in China, the company is responsible for helping our foreign partners apply for the export quotas," the official said.

CNOOC Ltd. is the unit of China National Offshore Oil Corporation, or CNOOC, while Petrochina is the unit of China National Petroleum Corp., or CNPC, the mainland��s largest oil producer. Both units are listed in New York and Hong Kong.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp., or Sinopec, the other major State-run oil producer that has an overseas-listed unit, is a maker of refined oil products and is the mainland��s biggest importer of crude oil. The company does not export crude oil.

In November, the commerce ministry issued its 1-million-ton 2005 crude oil export quota for local oil producers.

China's export quota for refined oil this year had been set at 3.23 million tons, which would be divided among 19 companies, the commerce ministry statement said.

West Pacific Petrochemical Co., Dalian, or WEPEC, received the largest allocation of 3.1 million tons, according to the statement. WEPEC is a joint venture between France��s Total S.A. and local partners, including CNPC.

CNPC is the only company that has been granted export quotas as both a foreign-invested and a local company.

Source: Shenzhen Daily-Agencies