Petrotimes – Only hours after the end of the press conference in the afternoon of 27/6 presided by Petrovietnam’s President & CEO, Mr. Do Van Hau, the international press flooded news coverage on CNOOC’s illegal invitation for bids in 9 gas and oil blocks lying entirely within Vietnam”s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
Major press agencies in the west such as AP, AFP, BBC… in the Region as Yonhap, Manila Times or news agencies specialized in economics and petroleum such as Bloomberg, Upstream, Dow Jones, Fox… posted quite true coverage. The general comment is that Petrovietnam’s protest was strong but very well-behaved, in strict compliance with international petroleum practice.
UK’s press agency, BBC ran a sub-heading: “Illegal move!”. Perhaps BBC was the first international press posting news on China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) inviting international bids for 9 gas and oil blocks in Vietnam’s continental shelf: “Mr. Hau (CEO Do Van Hau ) reaffirms that the 9 gas and oil blocks are located within Phu Khanh basin and a part of Nam Con Son basin and absolutely not a contested area… CNOOC”s move is illegal and of no value, contrary to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea doesn”t comply with international oil and gas practices.
