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Govt-backed Chinese refiner looks for oil import quota after restructuring, sources say

Jincheng Petrochemical, a. newly reorganized independent refiner controlled by the. Liaoning provincial federal government in northeastern China, is looking for. petroleum import quotas for its three plants, 4 sources with. knowledge of the matter said.

Jincheng Petrochemical has actually applied to Beijing for quotas to. import 15 million metric lots of unrefined per year, which equates. to 300,000 barrels each day (bpd), or about 3% of the shipments. the world's largest unrefined importer brings in.

Jincheng Petrochemical, based in the city of Panjin, was. formed by the merger of three refineries in Liaoning province. previously owned by private refiner Bora Group and Panjin Haoye. Chemical Co, both of which were discovered to have actually evaded fuel taxes. in a federal government investigation in 2021.

Jincheng did not immediately react to a request for. discuss the quota request.

The National Advancement and Reform Commission and Ministry. of Commerce, which are accountable for the oil quota system, did. not instantly react to an ask for comment.

If the quotas are approved, the additional volumes Jincheng. purchases might increase the quantity of oil that China purchases from. Russia, Iran or Venezuela that comprise much of the crude. taken in by independent refiners such as Jincheng, trade sources. stated.

Formerly state refiner Sinopec Corp was assigned the oil. supplier to the plants now run by Jincheng, which have actually a. combined processing capacity of 400,000 bpd, after the previous. owners lost their import quotas following the 2021. investigation.

Sinopec's imports are not subject to quota management.

Bora and Haoye were amongst the targets of an authorities. crackdown on fuel tax evasion and unlawful oil quota trading in. 2021. The regulatory scrutiny quashed some imports leading to. the very first annual decrease in 20 years in shipments to China that. year.

Several other independent refiners were likewise removed of. import quotas following that probe.