PetroChina to issue up to 100 bln yuan debt

BEIJING May 12 (Reuters) - PetroChina (0857.HK) will raise up to 100 billion yuan ($14.65 billion) via debt to finance key strategic projects this year, President Zhou Jiping said on Tuesday.

The top Chinese oil firm has said it needs 150 billion yuan fianancing in 2009.

Zhou said the company has completed talks on liquefied natural gas supplies from Exxon Mobil's Australia unit.

He did not elaborate.

($1=6.825 Yuan)

(Reporting by Eadie Chen and Tom Miles; Editing by Ken Wills)