China’s largest integrated oil company, PetroChina Company Ltd. (PTR), has started operations at the $4 billion Dushanzi refining and chemical complex in the Xinjiang province. The complex consists of a refinery and an ethylene plant, with a capacity of 10 million ton and 1 million ton a year, respectively. The refinery, which processes high-sulfur crude oil, will increase the company’s total refining capacity of 2.58 million barrels per day (as of 2008). The company estimates that the project may generate approximately $8.8 billion in annual revenue. Most of PetroChina’s crude oil and natural gas reserves and production-related assets are located in northeastern, northern, southwestern and northwestern China. With the start of this refinery complex, the company is able to import and refine crude oil in the west part of the country. As per the Chinese government’s data, the country’s fuel demand may rise 4% in 2009. ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – September 2, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: PetroChina Company Ltd. (PTR), Sinopec (SNP), Total SA (TOT), CNOOC Ltd. (CEO) and Vodafone (VOD).

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Here are highlights from Tuesday’s Analyst Blog:

PetroChina Sings 'O Canada'

Yesterday, PetroChina Company Ltd. (PTR), the largest integrated oil company in China, agreed to pay C$1.9 billion ($1.7 billion) to acquire a majority stake in two oil sands projects in western Canada.

As per the terms of the agreement with Athabasca Oil Sands Corp.

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Yesterday, PetroChina Company Ltd. (PTR), the largest integrated oil company in China, agreed to pay C$1.9 billion ($1.7 billion) to acquire a majority stake in two oil sands projects in western Canada. As per the terms of the agreement with Athabasca Oil Sands Corp. (a privately held Calgary-based group), the Chinese energy giant will purchase a 60% working interest in the Canadian company’s proposed MacKay River and the Dover ventures in northern Alberta. The deal, which awaits certain regulatory approvals, is currently the largest venture by China in Canadian oil sands. According to an independent third party evaluation, the oil sands that PetroChina plans to exploit are estimated to contain as many as five billion barrels of reserves, about half of Athabasca’s total recoverable resources. Peak production from the two sites is projected to reach 300,000 – 500,000 barrels per day, with first volumes expected in ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #1 Rank ("strong buy") List today:

3Com Corp (COMS) 51job Inc (JOBS) Actions Semiconductor Co Ltd (ACTS) Aeropostale Inc (ARO) Companhia de Bebidas das Americas (ABV) American Italian Pasta Co (AIPC) American States Water Co (AWR) Amkor Technology Inc (AMKR) Anworth Mortgage Asset Corp (ANH) Asbury Automotive Group Inc (ABG) Ashland Inc (ASH) Associated British Foods Plc (ASBFY) AudioCodes Ltd (AUDC) Baidu Inc (BIDU) Banco Santander SA (STD) Bank of Montreal (BMO) Barnes & ...

PetroChina OKed to Buy Osaka Refinery Stake Earlier today, PetroChina Company Ltd. (PTR), the largest integrated oil company in China, gained approval from the country’s top economic policy planner -- the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) -- to invest in Nippon Oil Corporation’s Osaka refinery. NDRC said on its website that the agency had given the green light to the Chinese state-controlled energy giant's oil trading subsidiary PetroChina International to acquire a stake in the 115,000-barrels-per-day (Bbl/d) refinery in western Japan. Nippon Oil and PetroChina’s parent China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) finalized the deal earlier in the year to convert the Japanese refiner's wholly owned Osaka refinery into a 51:49 export-oriented joint venture, mainly targeting oil demand in China. The Osaka deal – which will be PetroChina's second overseas refinery transaction – would allow the company to take charge of all crude supply ...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – March 19, 2009 - Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: 3SBio Inc. (SSRX), AMAG Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AMAG), ANADIGICS, Inc. (ANAD), PetroChina Company Ltd. (PTR) and Teekay Corporation (TK).

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Here are highlights from Wednesday's Analyst Blog:

Buy 3SBio Up to $10

3SBio Inc. (SSRX) is a China-based biotech company focused on developing and marketing therapeutics for nephrology, oncology and cancer supportive care. The company's flagship product EPIAO is the number 1 brand in China's EPO [erythropoietin] market.

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PetroChina Company Ltd. (PTR) is the largest integrated oil company in China. The company's activities include: the exploration, development, production and sale of crude oil and natural gas; the refining, transportation, storage and marketing of petroleum products; the manufacture and sale of chemical products; and the transmission of natural gas, crude oil and refined products.PetroChina ADRs have been weak in recent days, in line with the rest of the group, due to the pullback in crude oil prices and the broad turmoil in global markets. But they are hardly cheap. Based on most conventional valuation metrics, the ADRs are currently trading at a premium to the Chinese and other emerging market peers.We are maintaining our Hold recommendation on PetroChina ADRs ahead of year-end 2008 results, though we have lowered our estimates to reflect a lower commodity-price deck. Our new 2009 earnings per ADR estimate ...