FUEL supplies in areas in Sichuan Province hit by the May 12 earthquake are getting back to normal after oil companies and the central government increased shipments.

China National Petroleum Corp, parent of PetroChina Co, said it had sent 83,300 tons of oil products to the quake-hit areas as of Monday by waterway, rail and roads. CNPC has pledged 100,000 tons in emergency fuel supplies.

CNPC said its filling stations hit by the quake, including those in Wenchuan County ?? the epicenter ?? have reopened, so the firm's fuel supplies to quake zones have been completely restored.

"We don't want to basically ensure supply, we must (ensure supply)," read a CNPC newsletter.

A key oil products pipeline running from PetroChina's Lanzhou refinery to Sichuan's capital Chengdu and the adjacent Chongqing Municipality has also been restored after a 22-hour disruption following the quake. The pipeline supplies more than 70 percent of the fuel demand in Sichuan and Chongqing.

CNPC's natural gas production in the quake zone had returned to 99 percent of pre-quake levels by 5pm Monday, it said. Sichuan is China's major gas producing region accounting for more than a fifth of the nation's output.

Sinopec, China's largest oil refiner, had sent 63,500 tons of gasoline and diesel to the quake areas by 6pm Sunday, according to its newsletter Sinopecnews.

The supplies were originally for central Hunan and Hubei and southern Guangdong provinces.

These provinces are facing a fuel shortfall and rising demand, but at this moment the priority is to ensure adequate supply in Sichuan, Sinopecnews said.

All the Sinopec pump stations in Sichuan and Chongqing have lifted rationing on fuel sales, it added.

The State Reserve Bureau also released 11,243 tons of oil products to the quake-hit areas between 12am Monday and 12am yesterday, Hua Qing, a spokesman for the State Council, said yesterday. Sichuan Vice Governor Li Chengyun said that fuel storage in the areas is relatively sufficient.