A Chinese court has dismissed a legal action against the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) for allowing US oil major ConocoPhillips to resume production after spills off northern China, an official said on Thursday.

"The conclusion of the case is dismissal," a member of staff at the Beijing No.1 Intermediate People's Court, who did not give her name, told AFP.

The state-backed All-China Environment Federation launched an administrative misconduct lawsuit against the SOA last month.

It is rare for a Chinese official agency to face court action from another government-backed entity.