Sept. 20 (Bloomberg) -- PetroChina Co., the country's largest oil company, expects the price of oil to drop by as much as 25 percent to ``between $60 and $70 a barrel,'' according to the company's vice president.

``It's abnormal for the oil price to remain at $80 a barrel,'' Liu Hongbin said at an industry conference today in Beijing. ``Barring natural disasters, abnormal climate patterns or war, the oil price should fall.'' He didn't elaborate or provide a time frame for his estimate.

To contact the reporter on this story: Tian Ying in Beijing on ytian@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 19, 2007 23:37 EDT