Sinopec plans its biggest capital expenditure in history

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp, better known as Sinopec, is planning its highest capital investment in history for 2022 after recording its best profit in a decade, echoing Beijing's call for energy companies to raise production.

Sinopec expects to spend 198 billion yuan ($31.10 billion) in 2022, up 18 per cent from a year ago, beating the previous record of 181.7 billion yuan set in 2013, according to a company statement filed to the Shanghai Stocks Exchange on Sunday.

It plans to invest 81.5 billion yuan in upstream exploitation, especially the crude oil bases in Shunbei and Tahe fields, and natural gas fields in Sichuan province and the Inner Mongolia region.

"Looking ahead in 2022, the market demand for refined oil will continue to recover, and demand for natural gas and petrochemical products will keep growing," Sinopec said in the statement.

It also warned of potential impacts of geopolitical challenges and volatile oil prices on the investment and operation at overseas businesses. But the firm did not name any specific project.

Reuters reported that Sinopec Group had suspended talks for a major petrochemical investment and a gas marketing venture in Russia, heeding a government call for caution as sanctions mount over the invasion of Ukraine.

Brent oil prices have gained 52 per cent so far this year and hit as high as $139 a barrel in early March, stoked by fears of supply disruption in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.