Oman signs LNG sale deal with China's CNOOC-report

MUSCAT, Sept 22 (Reuters) - Oman has signed a deal to sell liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China's top offshore oil company CNOOC (0883.HK), an Omani daily newspaper reported on Monday.

The Oman Observer SAID Qalhat LNG signed a master sale and purchase agreement, but gave no further details.

Qalhat LNG has capacity to produce around 3.3 million tonnes per year, a third of Oman's 10 million tpy LNG capacity. Some of that capacity has lain idle as the country has prioritised meeting domestic demand above export commitments.

Qalhat LNG is 46.84 percent owned by the government of Oman, 36.8 percent owned by Oman LNG and 7.36 percent owned by Union Fenosa UNF.MC Gas. The rest is held by Japanese companies.

Oman, like its neighbours in the world's top oil-exporting region, has seen gas demand surge as an economic boom feeds both power consumption and industrial growth.

(Reporting by Simon Webb; ; editing by Christopher Johnson)