CNOOC starts biodiesel plant in Hainan

China’s largest offshore oil and gas producer China National Offshore Oil Corp. (CNOOC) has started making diesel fuel from jatropha oil in southern Hainan province, the first such project operated by a Chinese state-run company. The plant has a capacity to produce 60,000 tons of biodiesel per year. Using jatropha oil as feedstock, the plant which was approved by Beijing in July 2008, is expected to reduce 140,000 tons of emissions of mostly carbon dioxide every year, the Hainan Daily reported. Separately, Nasdaq-listed China Integrated Energy is building a biodiesel plant in northern Shaanxi province, with a capacity of 150,000 tons per year. Production is expected to start in the third quarter of 2010. (January 21, 2010)