HONG KONG - China's top offshore oil producer CNOOC Ltd said a Canadian court had approved its acquisition of struggling oil sands company Opti Canada Inc.

CNOOCC said in a filing to the Hong Kong bourse on?Sept 8?that it expected the transaction to become effective in the fourth quarter of 2011.?

CNOOC Ltd in July agreed to buy Opti Canada for $34 million and $2 billion in debt, bolstering its position in the Canadian oil sands.