PetroChina starts buildings its 3rd LNG import terminal

PetroChina started on Wednesday to build the Tangshan receiving terminal for liquefied natural gas in northern Hebei province, the third by the top Asian energy giant in China, a website run by parent company CNPC said. To be developed in two phases, phase one will have an annual receiving capacity of 3.5 million tons expected for completion by end of 2013, expandable by another 6.5 million tons at phase two, a report on www.cnpc.com.cn said.

The terminal will receive LNG mostly from Australia and Qatar, the report said. PetroChina, Asia's largest oil and gas producer, is set to start operating its first two terminals in the coming few months, in east China's Rudong and northeast China's Dalian city. Kunlun Energy, a PetroChina subsidiary, now operates most of PetroChina's LNG business after a series of asset transfers from the parent company over the past few years.