--FILE--Vue d'une station d'essence de la CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation), la société mère de PetroChina, dans la ville de Huaibei, de l'Est Chine Anhui provinc
--FILE--View of a gas station of CNPC (China National Petroleum Corporation), parent company of PetroChina, in Huaibei city, east Chinas Anhui province, 14 May 2014. PetroChina is reconsidering a plan to auction off its multi-billion dollar natural gas pipeline unit, and could instead sell it to an affiliate, three people who were briefed on the matter by the Chinese energy giant told Reuters. Selling PetroChina Eastern Pipelines Co Ltd to the affiliate, 50 percent owned by PetroChina, would enable Chinas largest energy producer to maintain control over the national gas grid as well as raise cash to fund oil and gas exploration. But scrapping the auction would pose a setback to the governments plans to open up the state-dominated energy sector to domestic private investors to improve competition and rein in corruption. PetroChina controls more than 80 percent of Chinas natural gas grid, and some privately owned domestic gas companies have complained this monopoly hurts their business.
