China is set to announce this year the creation of a state-held oil and gas pipeline company, combining the midstream assets of the national firms in a bid to allow energy companies to focus on boosting exploration and production, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing three people with knowledge of the plans. Combining China’s pipeline infrastructure into one firm and opening access to this infrastructure to foreign and private producers would help the state oil and gas firms to focus on exploration at a time when China aims to increase its domestic production. China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)—the economic planning body—has already approved the plan for the major reshuffle, while the State Council has yet to issue a final approval, one of Reuters’ sources said. The plan would be the biggest energy ‘reform’ in China since 1998 when the country restructured its oil and gas sector and created […]