Top Chinese oil firms gain as better H2 expected

HONG KONG, Aug 28 (Reuters) - Shares in CNOOC Ltd (0883.HK) gained 6.4 percent at Thursday's open after China's largest offshore oil producer beat first-half earnings forecasts with gains from skyrocketing crude prices.

PetroChina's (0857.HK) opening share price was set 0.8 percent higher after analysts predicted a better second half for Asia's top oil producer, citing an alleviation of a refining margins squeeze that had pummelled its first half. [ID:nHKG15523]

PetroChina stock was set to open at HK$10.38 on Thursday. CNOOC was set to open at HK$12.36.

State-run PetroChina (601857.SS) (PTR.N) and fellow refiner Sinopec (0386.HK) (SNP.N) (600028.SS) have found themselves squeezed between soaring crude prices and state-capped fuel prices. (Reporting by Raymond Leung; Editing by Keiron Henderson)