It would be easy for any larger shareholder to attempt to push...

It would be easy for any larger shareholder to attempt to push the SP down for their own advantage - nothing illegal about that, so long as its not a substantial holder or anyone associated directly to or acting on insider info from the company.
1,000,000 isn't that much in the scheme of things, but i do agree it is a big gorilla painting a negative bias at the moment.

Just a thought re options; I have read that 70% are controlled by those closely associated to the company?
The question in my mind is with CNOOC;
Is it possible or probable that in agreeing to inject further capital and new shareholding that CNOOC required that this 70% (or close to it) be taken up so as to ensure further skin in the game?