In a statement published on its official Facebook page, it said it had never intended to overlook cultural sensitivities.
It said, after receiving the feedback from Malaysians, it redesigned the packets – in red.
Petronas said: “The initial packet showcased a Chinese ink painting from the Petronas art collection, which depicts the welcoming of a new dawn and hopes for the new year
“The light coloured background, however, has been mistaken for white, which in Chinese culture, is considered inauspicious.”
Petronas is the second organisation to apologise over a design for the Chinese New Year.
The Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry had also apologised for a “mistake” in the Chinese New Year advertisement it had placed in several newspapers.
It said the advertisement, of a rooster barking “wang” “wang”, was a technical error. This is the Year of the Dog, according to the Chinese lunar calendar. Last year was the Year of the Rooster.