[A] less-known catalyst for peace lay under the combatant's feet—-oil...According to a source familiar with Sudan's long conflict, it is no accident that the government and its longtime enemy, the Southern People's Liberation Army (SPLA), began serious peace talks about three years ago, when the oil bounty was becoming apparent. Nor is it a surprise that negotiators for the two sides made an unexpected push to finish the deal late last year—when oil prices hovered near record highs of close to $50 a barrel. [refers to China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC)]