PetroChina, the subsidiary of China’s state-run China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), says it has started lifting crude from its offshore concession blocks in Abu Dhabi.

In March, CNPC won a 20 per cent stake with two blocks of the offshore concession from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc Offshore) – 10 per cent in Umm Shaif and Nasr, and 10 per cent in Lower Zakum – as part of a 40- year agreement.

PetroChina says in its official publication that it has shipped 1 million barrels from the Lower Zakum field. The company has reported offtaking 800,000 barrels from the Umm Shaif and Nasr fields for shipping, which will be co-loaded with another 200,000 barrels from an onshore field.

In February last year, CNPC won an 8 per cent stake in Abu Dhabi’s main onshore concession, operated by Adnoc Onshore.