中石油寻求与国际同行互换北美资产

China’s biggest oil major by market value is “actively engaged” in talks to swap North American assets with international rivals in an effort to staunch losses on high-cost deposits after a collapse in crude prices.

中国市值最大的大型石油公司正“积极”投入与国际竞争对手互换北美资产的谈判，以求在原油价格暴跌后止住高成本油气资产的损失。

PetroChina, the listed arm of China National Petroleum Corp, will also cut almost 10 per cent in exploration and production spending compared with last year in response to a near-50 per cent plunge in oil prices since last summer. The capital spending cut mirrors moves by the likes of BP and BG Group — two of Europe’s biggest energy groups. Domestic rivals Sinopec and Cnooc have also announced budget reductions.

作为中国石油天然气集团公司(CNPC)的上市子公司，中石油(PetroChina)还将在去年基础上削减勘探和生产支出近10%，以应对油价自去年夏天以来近50%的跌幅。此举与欧洲两大能源集团英国石油(BP)和英国天然气集团(BG)的计划不谋而合，而国内竞争对手中石化(Sinopec)和中海油(Cnooc)也已宣布削减预算。

Wang Dongjin, vice-chairman, said yesterday that the swap negotiations centre around unconventional assets in Canada, which require high oil prices to be profitable.

副董事长汪东进昨日表示，互换谈判主要针对加拿大的非常规油气资产，此类资产需要较高的油价才能盈利。

CNPC has borne the brunt of nearly two years of an anti-corruption campaign that has decimated the allies of Zhou Yongkang, former energy and security tsar, who had protégés throughout the energy industry. Executives at its operations in Canada have been among those detained, amid accusations in the Chinese press that the company paid too much for assets that are difficult and expensive to develop.

中国石油天然气集团公司在持续近两年的反腐败斗争中首当其冲，曾经先后主管能源和政法部门、一度在能源行业遍布亲信的周永康的盟友一个接一个落马。该集团加拿大业务也有不止一名高管被拘留；根据中国媒体传出的指责，该公司在收购油气资产时支付了过高的价格，而这些资产开发难度较大，成本较高。

“Because of the low oil prices, any asset disposal will lead to big losses for any big international oil companies. If we could strengthen co-operation and swap assets, it will help us restructure overseas assets and complement each other,” Mr Wang said.

汪东进表示，由于油价较低，大型国际石油公司的任何资产处置都会导致较大损失；但如果各公司加强合作和资产互换，那将有助于大家重组海外资产，各得其所。

He did not name the companies involved in the negotiations.

他没有透露哪些公司参与了谈判。

Last year, net profits fell 17 per cent to Rmb107bn ($17bn) — their lowest in five years — because of the drop in international crude oil prices and cuts in China’s domestic retail fuel prices. PetroChina reported revenues of Rmb2.28tn last year, up 1.1 per cent on the previous year.

中石油去年净利润下降17%，至1071.7亿元人民币（合170亿美元），这是五年来最低点，原因是国际原油价格暴跌和中国国内燃油零售价格降低。该公司报告去年营收达到2.28万亿元人民币，比上年增长1.1%。

However, Mr Wang said his company was not ruling out new purchases.

不过，汪东进表示，他的公司并不排除新的收购。

“We have been very actively following a few quality assets. Once the time is right . . . we will not slow down the pace of acquisition because of the management changes or low oil prices,” he said.

他说，中石油正积极关注不少优质资产，一旦时机合适就出手，不会因为管理层变动或低油价而减慢收购步伐。