Caofeidian industrial zone, north China's Hebei province, enjoys a better chance of becoming a national oil strategic reserve base following the discovery of the Nanpu oilfield, said an official with the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC).

"Caofeidian is undoubtedly a good candidate as one of China's national oil reserve bases. Although the final decision has yet to be made, the die is already cast," Hu Wenrui, vice president of CNPC, was quoted by Wednesday's China Business News as saying.

Last Thursday, CNPC announced the discovery of the Nanpu oilfield, which boasts a reserve of one billion tonnes.

The field, the largest discovery in China in four decades, is located in the Nanpu block of CNPC's Jidong Oilfield in Caofeidian of Tangshan City.

"Discovery of such a major oilfield offers great flexibility and initiative for the country to plan and adjust its energy strategy," Hu said.

The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has announced plans to establish a strategic oil reserve amounting to the equivalent of 30 days of imports by 2010.

China has already named Dalian, Qingdao, Ningbo and Zhoushan to be the first four oil strategic reserve bases. The one in Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, has begun storing oil.

Source: Xinhua