中石油尋求與國際同行互換北美資產
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.
中國市值最大的大型石油公司正“積極”投入與國際競爭對手互換北美資產的談判，以求在原油價格暴跌後止住高成本油氣資產的損失。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.
作爲中國石油天然氣集團公司(CNPC)的上市子公司，中石油(PetroChina)還將在去年基礎上削減勘探和生產支出近10%，以應對油價自去年夏天以來近50%的跌幅。此舉與歐洲兩大能源集團英國石油(BP)和英國天然氣集團(BG)的計劃不謀而合，而國內競爭對手中石化(Sinopec)和中海油(Cnooc)也已宣佈削減預算。
Wang Dongjin, vice-chairman, said yesterday that the swap negotiations centre around unconventional assets in Canada, which require high oil prices to be profitable.
副董事長汪東進昨日表示，互換談判主要針對加拿大的非常規油氣資產，此類資產需要較高的油價才能盈利。
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.
中國石油天然氣集團公司在持續近兩年的反腐敗鬥爭中首當其衝，曾經先後主管能源和政法部門、一度在能源行業遍佈親信的周永康的盟友一個接一個落馬。該集團加拿大業務也有不止一名高管被拘留；根據中國媒體傳出的指責，該公司在收購油氣資產時支付了過高的價格，而這些資產開發難度較大，成本較高。“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.
汪東進表示，由於油價較低，大型國際石油公司的任何資產處置都會導致較大損失；但如果各公司加強合作和資產互換，那將有助於大家重組海外資產，各得其所。He did not name the companies involved in the negotiations.
他沒有透露哪些公司參與了談判。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.
中石油去年淨利潤下降17%，至1071.7億元人民幣（合170億美元），這是五年來最低點，原因是國際原油價格暴跌和中國國內燃油零售價格降低。該公司報告去年營收達到2.28萬億元人民幣，比上年增長1.1%。However, Mr Wang said his company was not ruling out new purchases.
不過，汪東進表示，他的公司並不排除新的收購。“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.
他說，中石油正積極關注不少優質資產，一旦時機合適就出手，不會因爲管理層變動或低油價而減慢收購步伐。
