In a statement Abdul said, “The company is currently holding talks with China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC), Sinopec and PetroChina in regard to supply contract opportunities. Meetings are also being held with coastal provincial governments.”

“Reliability and security of supply - that’s our advantage [and] we are talking with all parties but (the contracts will) depend on where CNOOC, Sinopec and PetroChina are going to build LNG facilities,” added Abdul, referring plans by China’s energy giants to expand their LNG capabilities.

CNOOC has confirmed three LNG terminals in Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang and is considering other terminals in Tianjin, Shanghai, Jiangsu and Shandong. Sinopec is to begin construction of a terminal in Shandong in May next year.

Petronas had earlier bid to supply LNG to the Guangdong terminal but lost out to Woodside’s North West Shelf gas project off the coast of WA.