Mauritania has exported 950,000 barrels of crude oil to China since the country pumped its first barrel in February, a Mauritania official said on Thursday.

The official in the capital city of Nouakchott said a further 1.9 million barrels would be sold to China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (SINOPEC) in April.

Mauritania pumped its first barrel of crude oil on February 24 from the offshore Chinguetti field, 80 km from Nouakchott. It is forecast to pump 75,000 barrels of oil per day.

Mauritania plans to produce 18.4 million barrels of crude in 2006.

Source: Xinhua