PetroChina

Infobox Company
company_name = PetroChina Company Limited
company_
company_type = Public
(sehk|0857)
(SSE|601857)
(nyse|PTR)
foundation = 1999
location = Beijing, PRC
area_served = China
key_people = Jiang Jiemin
(Chairman)
Zhou Jiping
(Deputy Chairman) & (CEO)
industry = Oil
Gas
Petroleum
Petrochemical
Chemicals
products = Diesel
Gasoline
Fuel oil
Jet fuel
Lubricants
Asphalt
Paraffin
Ethylene
Propylene
Benzene
Urea
Ammonium nitrate
market c
US$ 423.996 Billion ("2008")
revenue = profit US$ 114.317 Billion ("2007")
operating_income = profit US$ 27.980 Billion ("2007")
net_income = profit US$ 19.936 Billion ("2007")
assets = increase US$ 145.132 Billion ("2007")
equity = increase US$ 100.403 Billion ("2007")
num_employees = ~464,000 (2007)
homepage = [http://www.petrochina.com.cn/ptr/ PetroChina]

PetroChina Company, Limited (zh-s|s=中国石油天然气股份有限公司, zh-t|t=中國石油天然氣股份有限公司) (sehk|0857, SSE|601857, nyse|PTR) is a Chinese oil company and is the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), mainland China's biggest producer of oil.

Traded in Hong Kong and New York, the mainland enterprise announced its plans to issue stock in Shanghai in November 2007, [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-02/06/content_4142106_2.htm Analysts express optimism about Chinese shares] (Xinhuanet.com, with source from "Shanghai Daily")] and following its debut on the Shanghai index, its market value tripled.

History

PetroChina was established as a joint stock company with limited liabilities under the Company Law of the People's Republic of China (the PRC) on November 5, 1999, as part of the restructuring of CNPC. In the restructuring, CNPC injected into PetroChina most of the assets and liabilities of CNPC relating to its exploration and production, refining and marketing, chemicals and natural gas businesses.

Although PetroChina is the most profitable company in Asia, this success may be the result of corporate management, but can also be attributed to the near duopoly on the wholesale and retail business of oil products it shares with Sinopec in China.

Because of its link to Sudan through parent company CNPC, several institutional investors such as Harvard and Yale decided, in 2005, to divest from Sinopec. Sudan divestment efforts have continued to be concentrated on PetroChina since then. [ [http://www.sudandivestment.org/docs/berkshire_response.pdf Response to Berkshire Hathaway's statement on its holdings in PetroChina Company Limited] , Sudan Divestment Task Force, 2007-02-23. Retrieved on 2007-03-28.] Fidelity Investments, after pressure from activist groups, also announced in a filing in the US that it had sold 91 per cent of its American Depositary Receipts in PetroChina in the first quarter of 2007. [ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18689376/ Darfur activists claim Fidelity success] 2007-05-17]

At the beginning of May 2007, the company announced it had made China's largest oil find in a decade off the country's northeast coast, in an oilfield named Jidong Nanpu in Bohai Bay. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6623179.stm BBC NEWS | Business | China claims major oil field find ] ]

On November 7, 2007, Hang Seng Index Services Company announced that PetroChina would have been Hang Seng Index Constituent Stock since December 10, 2007. [ [http://main.hsi.com.hk/hsicom/announce/20071107e.pdf HSI SERVICES ANNOUNCES INDEX REVIEW RESULTS] ] PetroChina has also come under scrutiny from international organizations for its part in trading with the Sudanese government who continues the ongoing genocide in Darfur.

Environmental Record

Introduction

Although PetroChina is promoting safety, environmental protection and people-orientation as its slogan and is determined to encourage efficiency in utilization of resource as well as effective operation of the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) management system as a method to reduce emission of pollutants, [http://www.petrochina.com.cn/resource/EngPdf/LTN20080319139.pdf "Summary of the 2007 Annual Report". PetroChina.com.cn, May 5, 2008] environmental-related news about PetroChina has been often negative.

Major Chemical Spill

Petrochina had a huge chemical spill in November, 2005. One of its chemical plants exploded in Jilin, China. The blast poured 100 tons of benzene, which is a carcinogen and highly toxic, into the Songhua River. There was a slick of chemicals that spanned 80km. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6299085.stm BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Maximum fine over China pollution ] ] Harbin, which is another city along the Songhua River, had to cut the water supply from almost 4 million people, for 5 days. More than 60 people have been injured, one person is missing, and five have died, due to this incident. [ [http://en.epochtimes.com/news/5-12-10/35620.html The Epoch Times | Jilin PetroChina Explosion Under Investigation, Vice-Mayor of Jilin City Reported Dead ] ] The spill prompted China’s environmental agency to fine the company one million yuan (approximately $125,000, £64,000) for its pollution, which is the maximum finethat can be handed out in China for breaking an environmental law. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6299085.stm "Maximum Fine Over China Pollution". Jan 25, 2007. BBC News. May 4, 2007] However, this disaster has now sparked controversy about this law. People are claiming it is too soft. [ [http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2007-01/25/content_792982.htm PetroChina branch fined for pollution ] ] The spill even crept into Kharbosvk, Russia, where residents stocked up on bottled water. The city tried filtering its water of toxic substances, but officials were still unsure if the water was 100% safe for drinking. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4551842.stm BBC NEWS | Europe | Toxic leak reaches Russian city ] ] The Chinese government has said it will take more than one billion dollars to clean up the aftermath. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6299085.stm BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Maximum fine over Chinapollution ] ] Li Zhaoxing, Chinese Foreign Minister at the time, issued a public apology to Russia due to the incident. [http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China_Business/GL02Cb06.html "China's toxic spillover" Dec 2, 2005. Asia Times May 4, 2008]

The "Western Gas to the East(西气东输）" Pipeline Project

Another major controversial issue is PetroChina’s development in gas reserves in Tarim Basins, Xinjiang. It is now constructing a pipeline across Tibet to Gansu province in China, eventually lead to Shanghai. It is argued that such a project might pose a threat to the environment, as the construction of the pipeline might affect the wildlife in the regions where it runs through. Also, the exiled Tibetan government argued that such project is part of China’s strategy to consolidate political control of the Western Regions in China, including Tibet. However, no known environmental or social impact assessments have been conducted, as the environmental record of Tarim Basins is very poor. [http://trilliuminvest.com/resolutions/human-rights-1/ "Divest From PetroChina - BP Amoco". Trilliuminvest.com. May 4, 2008]

Recent Demonstration on PetroChina's New Plant

Approved in 2007, a $5.5 billion petrochemical plant, expected to produce 800,000 tons of ethylene and refine 10 million tons of crude oil a year, is now under construction by PetroChina in Chengdu, provincial capital of Sichuan in Southwestern China. Ethylene is widely used in the production of goods such as packaging and trash liners. Although the project claimed that $565 million of the total investment would be dedicated to environmental protection, residents of Chengdu who believe it might bring pollution to the local area took to the streets on May 3 and 4, 2008, to protest against the project. The whole demonstration was peaceful, and presence of Chinese government intervention was scarce. [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/world/asia/06china.html?ref=world "China Petrochemical Project Opposed". May 6, 2008. New York Times Online. May 6, 2008.]

Recognition

* Forbes published its latest ranking of the “Forbes 2000 The World’s Leading Companies”. The company ranked first amongst companies in China and ranked 55 worldwide.
* The Company won a series of awards in the competition organised by FinanceAsia, an influential magazine in Asia Pacific capital markets. The Company won the following awards:
** Best Dividend Payout Policy, 1st
** Best Corporate Governance, 5th
** Best Investor Relations, 5th
* AsiaMoney’s 2004 “Annual Best-Managed Large Companies Poll”, the Company was awarded the “Overall Best-Managed Large Cap Company” and “Overall Most Improved Company for Best-Management Practices” Awards.

External links

* [http://www.petrochina.com.cn/ptr/ Official website]
* [http://finance.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=PTR Petrochina stock quote] Google Finance

References

* 2004 Annual Report, pp.135, 137 [http://www.petrochina.com.cn/english/tzzgx/2004nb/2004anual_e.zip]