CNOOC turns waste into wealth

By the end of 2014, the company provided 23.4 million tons of asphalt to the market for more than 5,600 projects, including 654 expressways, 23 airports and five hydropower stations.

Buoyed by the strong domestic sales, the company has also been expanding into the overseas markets. The high-speed railway in Turkey, the main stadium for the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympics' main stadium in Brazil have all chosen CNOOC's asphalt.

"It is a big honor for our company to contribute to the Sept 3 parade," Zhu said. "We have been following the strategy of differentiation of products and brand building, which helped us win several prestigious projects."

During the first six months of the year, China imported 2.17 million tons of asphalt, up 6.48 percent year-on-year. Products from South Korea and Singapore accounted for 92 percent of the total. During the same period, China's asphalt exports rose by 22 percent to 128,000 tons, according to data provided by the customs authorities.

In addition to the asphalt, the fighter jets which will fly over the Tian'anmen Square during the parade are wearing a special coating developed by CNOOC.

The coating material is anti-corrosive and resistant to high temperatures and is widely used in aerospace equipment.

In the past, the company made only coatings for equipment on land. As the technology grew and market changed, the company started to develop coating products that can be used for aircraft and marine equipment including offshore drilling platforms.