PetroChina restarts fuel pipe after floodwaters ease

BEIJING (Reuters) - PetroChina said it has restarted its main fuel pipeline in western China after it was shut for 24 hours as a precautionary measure to avoid a possible breakdown by torrents from a "quake lake".

The 1,252-km pipe, which can pump some 120,000 barrels a day of refined oil products, started pumping at 2 a.m. EDT on Wednesday after no damage was found from torrents from the Tangjiashan "quake lake" formed by a deadly earthquake on May 12.

China declared victory over the unstable "quake lake" as floodwaters were released downstream, without the loss of human life.

PetroChina said the temporary shutdown did not have any material impact on fuel supply in Sichuan province, which holds enough refined oil product stocks to last up to 20 days, the company said in a statement.

(Reporting by Jim Bai; Editing by Anne Marie Roantree)