China is releasing oil products from its state reserve stockpiles to areas stricken by last Monday's earthquake to ensure energy supply.

China's leading oil company PetroChina has also resumed fuel distribution in those regions.

The State Reserve Bureau had sent 6,313 tons of oil products to the quake-hit areas by 3pm Sunday, the National Development and Reform Commission said. The reserve bureau will also release gasoline and diesel from its stockpiles in Jiangyou, Sichuan and Guiyang, Guizhou to quake hit areas.

The government has also diverted jet fuel tankers to Shuangliu and Mianyang airports in Sichuan to ensure air transport. China National Aviation Fuel Group Corp has sent 68 tankers carrying 3,200 tons of jet fuel to the airports.

China National Aviation plans to release 5,000 tons of jet fuel to quake-hit airports and a further 10,000 tons if necessary. The NDRC also approved to release 10,000 tons from state reserves. "Fuel shortage in the two airports has been solved," the NDRC said.

Meanwhile, PetroChina Co has resumed fuel supplies in those hardest-hit quake zones with eight pumping stations near the epicenter resuming operation by Sunday, its parent firm said.

PetroChina has sent 16 tank trucks and five fuel tankers to quake areas to ensure vital energy supplies. PetroChina's oil products pipeline linking its Lanzhou refinery in Gansu and Sichuan has resumed operation and is currently running smoothly, with transport volume and storage back to or above the levels before the quake, China National Petroleum Corporation said.

The daily volume through the pipeline, a key supplier to Sichuan, reached 16,900 tons on Sunday, 2,000 tons above the average, it said.

Sinopec Corp, China's second-largest oil company, is now producing a record 6,000 tons of diesel per day and 1,000 tons of jet fuel per day at its Jingmen refinery in Hubei Province to ensure a smooth rescue mission, its parent, China Petrochemical Corp, said.

(China Daily May 20, 2008)