SHANGHAI China's leading oil company Petrochina plans to open talks with the world's top three oil conglomerates over the Construction of an $18.1 billion gas pipeline, AFP reported Wednesday.

Petrochina has picked British Petroleum (BP), Exxon Mobil and the Royal Dutch/Shell group for negotiations on constructing the 4,000 kilometer (2,500 mile) pipeline which will run from northwest China to Shanghai on the east coast, the ****China Daily**** reported.

China said in February that 19 foreign energy companies had submitted bids to help build the pipeline.