BP says still waiting for news on China bid: Report

Oil major BP Plc said on Saturday it is still waiting to hear from Beijing whether it had won a coveted, long-term deal to supply gas to China's first liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal due to start operations in 2005, Reuters reported.

BP is bidding to supply gas to the terminal at Guangdong province in southern China from the giant Tangguh field in Indonesia's remote eastern province of Papua.

"I had hoped...that by now, we'd have heard some good news from Beijing on our bid for supplying Guangdong. But as yet, no news," BP Group Vice President, Upstream, David Fitzsimmons told an energy conference on the resort island of Bali.

"We have submitted a bid we believe is highly attractive to the customers, to China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) and to the government of China," he added.

BP earlier this year said it had a marginal edge over two other bidders because of its 30 percent stake in the $616 million terminal.

State-run CNOOC -- parent of Hong Kong and New York listed CNOOC Ltd shortlisted BP in Indonesia, Australia LNG Pty Ltd and Qatar's Ras Laffan Co earlier this year to supply the operation and said it would name the winner some time this month.

CNOOC officials have said the supply contract would last for 20 years. (*)