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RPT-Sinochem might keep insolvent refineries as auctions draw little interest, sources say

Sinochem Group might keep 3 insolvent oil refineries situated in eastern China after auctions to offer them drew little interest from other business, sources acquainted with the matter said.

The lack of interest in the plants shows the woeful state of the refining sector in China, the world's greatest oil importer and second-largest consumer. Beset by flagging fuel need amid slower financial growth that has actually worn down margins, the country's plants are processing less crude than the year before.

The Sinochem plants, which are smaller, older and less advanced refineries known as teapots, are also contending with greater regulatory analysis that threatens the survival of other companies in Shandong province, where most of the teapot plants lie.

Failure to offer the refineries throughout their person auctions might suggest state-owned Sinochem will retain them by jotting down financial obligations to lenders and renegotiating taxes owed, according to 2 sources knowledgeable about Sinochem's thinking.

Sinochem declined to comment.

The exact quantity of the debt could not immediately be ascertained, but tax administration records for the cities in Shandong where the refineries lie program that by mid-2024 the plants had actually accumulated combined overdue intake taxes of about 13.2 billion yuan ($ 1.82 billion).

The plants, Changyi Petrochemical, Huaxing Petrochemical Group and Zhenghe Group Co, have actually integrated unrefined processing capability of 380,000 barrels each day, or 3% of nationwide output, and were set up for auction in October through the government-backed Shandong Home Right Exchange Centre.

Huaxing was provided at 8.7 billion yuan, Changyi at 6.4 billion yuan and Zhenghe for 6.3 billion yuan, data on the Centre's website revealed.

Sinochem, which independently runs a refinery and petrochemical complex in the southeastern province of Fujian, inherited the distressed Shandong refineries in a Beijing-orchestrated merger in 2021 with their previous operator, state-owned ChemChina.

The auctions followed local court orders in September stating all 3 business insolvent after reorganization treatments were cancelled.

Files on the Centre's site show that the plants do not have petroleum import quotas which a brand-new owner would need to re-apply for all operating licenses.

That would be a deterrent to prospective buyers, stated a number of sources at other independent refiners operating in Shandong.

Without unrefined import quotas, the plants should rely on processing imported fuel oil, a more expensive feedstock because of tariffs and the intake tax, the sources stated.

Unlike rival independent refiners in Shandong, Sinochem's plants have shunned discounted crude from Russia, Iran and Venezuela due to the fact that of Western sanctions, putting them at a competitive drawback.

Taking apart the plants is an unlikely alternative that might imply the loss of countless jobs, something social stability-obsessed local authorities would watch out for, stated the two sources knowledgeable about Sinochem's thinking.

Sinochem stopped operations at Zhenghe and Changyi in mid-2024 as high petroleum expenses and weak fuel demand minimized margins. The 3rd plant, Huaxing Petrochemical, was closed in recent weeks, according to regional consultancy Sublime China Information.

In late 2021, the Shandong government purchased the 3 plants to self-rectify any irregular fuel tax practices, part of a nationwide clampdown on independent refiners associated with quota use and tax payments.

(source: Reuters)