April 30, 2026 [Reuters]- PetroChina, Asia’s largest oil and gas producer, posted a 1.9% rise in first-quarter profit on Wednesday, citing growing ​sales of natural gas and refined fuel as well as improved ‌margins in the refining and chemical sector.

The Chinese state oil giant’s net income came in at 48.33 billion yuan ($7.07 billion), up from 47.45 billion yuan a year earlier, a filing ​with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange showed.

Revenue fell 2.2% to 736.4 billion ​yuan.

Sinopec, the world’s largest refiner by capacity, and CNOOC, China’s major offshore ⁠oil producer, also reported higher net profits this week.

NATURAL GAS, REFINED FUEL SALES ​UP

PetroChina’s domestic oil production between January and March was unchanged from a year ​earlier at 197.9 million barrels, or 2.2 million barrels per day, while gas output rose 2.4% to 1,352.6 billion cubic feet.

However, overseas oil production was down 5.6% to 39.9 million barrels ​in the period, though overseas gas output rose 4.1% to 41.7 billion ​cubic feet.

Natural gas sales grew 3.5% to 73.81 billion cubic metres, leading to a 40% rise ‌in ⁠operating profit to 18.87 billion yuan.

As China’s second-largest refiner by capacity, PetroChina processed 343 million barrels of oil in the first three months, or 3.81 million bpd, up 1.7% year-on-year.

Refining profit rose 57.7% to 7.18 billion yuan on higher margins.

PetroChina ​also lifted fuel ​sales, with volumes ⁠of gasoline, kerosene and diesel combined up 4.8% to 36.78 million metric tons, including 28.02 million tons sold domestically.

Among the ​products, aviation fuel sales grew the fastest with a 23% ​year-on-year increase.

The ⁠group achieved 28% year-on-year growth in operating profit for refined fuel sales, due to the increase in the domestic sales volume and improved margins in international trading.

Its ⁠ethylene production ​expanded 21.4% on the year to 2.76 million ​tons.

PetroChina’s Hong Kong-listed stock has risen 42.96% so far this year, outperforming a 1.88% rise in ​the Hang Seng Index.