China eyes more African oil?

Most papers today have the item about Chad ordering two oil companies (Chevron and Malaysia's Petronas) off its soil. However, few articles have the tidbit of context that makes you say "Hmm."

The BBC is on it:

Privately, many observers feel the firms may have been kicked out to make room for Chinese oil companies, she adds - just three weeks ago, Chad resumed diplomatic relations with Beijing.

Hmm.

Note: ExxonMobile is still there, so Chad isn't kicking all foreign firms out - as some headlines and articles imply. Perhaps the country is simply making room to diversify its portfolio of customers. And China is, of course, one hungry customer.