China's CNPC interested in Iraq's Majnoon oilfield - oil officials

China's CNPC has expressed interest in developing Iraq's giant Majnoon oilfield which Royal Dutch Shell wants to exit, two Iraqi oil officials told Reuters on Monday.

The oil ministry in Baghdad is waiting for Shell to officially exit the field located in southern Iraq before engaging in talks with other companies about developing it, they said. CNPC was not available for immediate comment.

Shell plans to exit Majnoon and hand over its operation to the state-run Basra Oil Co. by the end of June 2018, oil officials said last week.