Let's Go North!

Chinese oil and gas giant PetroChina plans to extend a natural gas pipeline from Beijing to northeast China, a move that will challenge China National Offshore Oil Corp's ambition to develop a LNG import business in the region.

According to industry sources, PetroChina is in the advanced planning stage of extending its Shaanxi-Beijing gas pipeline to Tangshan and Qinhuangdao in eastern Hebei province, and Shenyang and Dalian in northeastern Liaoning province.

The northeast link is scheduled for completion before the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing.