New: Explosion closes China oil port

China has closed the Dalian Xingang oil port in its northeast, home to the country's largest oil reserve bases, after crude pipeline explosions spilt oil into the sea.

State oil major PetroChina, which operates two major refineries in Dalian, has set up a contingency plan to cope with one week's closure of the main oil port that receives foreign crude vessels regularly and also a main export point for gasoline and diesel.