Jan. 21   CNPC decided to make December 23 "Operational Safety Alert Day", and launched "Operational Safety Management Year" at all levels of the company.

Jan. 29   CNPC and the Egyptian Petroleum Ministry signed a memorandum of cooperation and understanding in Cairo with respect to petroleum exploration in three blocks in southern Egypt and other potential blocks.

February

Feb. 04   CNPC and SONATRACH signed the Protocol of Bilateral Cooperation in Petroleum between CNPC and SONATRACH.

Feb. 24   CNPC's "High Efficiency Exploration Theory and Practice in Block 1/2/4 of the Sudanese Muglad Basin" won a First-Grade Science and Technology Advancement Award for 2003 from the Chinese government.

March

Mar. 15   The crude oil pipeline in Sudan's Fula oilfield was officially put into operation.

May

May 19   CNPC and Kazakhstan's state-owned KazMunaiGaz (KMG) signed the Agreement on Basic Principles for the Construction of a Crude Oil Pipeline from Atasu in Kazakhstan to Alashankou in China.

May 20   Xifeng Oilfield, a giant oilfield with reserves of 400 million tons, was discovered in Changqing, Shaanxi Province.

June

Jun. 15   CNPC and Uzbekneftegaz (Uzbek Oil and Gas) signed the Agreement on Reciprocal Cooperation in Crude Oil and Natural Gas between CNPC and the Uzbekneftegaz (Uzbek Oil and Gas).

September

Sept. 06   The West-East Gas Pipeline was completed.

Sept. 06   CNPC and Mauritania signed the "Petroleum Contract for Block Ta 13 & 21 and Block 12 in Mauritania".

Sept. 28   Construction of the first-stage of the Sino-Kazakh Crude Pipeline (Atasu-Alashankou) was launched.

October

Oct. 01   The entire West-East Gas Pipeline was completed and put in operation.

Oct. 08   An important breakthrough was made in natural gas exploration in eastern Sichuan. Well Qilibei 1 tested a daily gas flow of 800,000 cubic meters, making the Qilibei structure a promising large gas field.

Oct. 15   The new symbol of CNPC was launched, giving CNPC a new image.

Oct. 15   China National Petroleum Offshore Engineering Co. Ltd was established in Beijing.

December

Dec. 01   The main source of the West-East Gas Pipeline, the Kela-2 oilfield, was completed and put into production.

Dec. 24   CNPC announced the establishment of the CNPC Brand Management Committee in Beijing with the mission of reinforcing the management of the CNPC logo, the reasonable development and utilization of the brand, and the promotion of CNPC's overall presence and values.

Dec. 26   CNPC's new logo was launched.

Dec. 30   The commercial operation of the West-East Gas Pipeline commenced.