Zhou Jiping, male, Han nationality, was born in 1952, and obtained a master's degree in marine geologic structure from the Nanhai Marine Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is a senior engineer with over thirty years experience in China's oil and gas industry.
Zhou was the manager of the development department of the China National Offshore Oil Corporation, manager of the overseas department of the International Cooperation Bureau of the China National Petroleum Company, president of the China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation in Vanuatu, and president of the China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation in Papua New Guinea. He was a director of the PetroChina Company and a vice-president of the China National Petroleum Company. From 2011 to 2015 he was General Manager of PetroChina Company.