Uncovering the Chinese Purchasers of Iranian Oil [UPDATED August 28, 2024]

August 28, 2024 | Claire Jungman and Daniel Roth

China is principally responsible for keeping the Iranian regime in business through oil purchases that have totaled over $100 billion since President Biden assumed office in January 2021 to December 2023. Four in every five barrels of exported Iranian oil go to China. This is despite U.S. sanctions that were reimposed in 2019 and maintained under the present administration, with the stated aim of reducing Iranian oil exports to zero. China has proven the savior of Tehran by continuing to import millions of barrels of oil every single day, and imports have likely even exceeded those made when the trade was not subject to U.S. sanctions. 

While UANI has pinpointed more than 300 foreign oil-carrying “Ghost Armada” ships facilitating the trade, it has been difficult to identify the specific buyers. However, UANI obtained documentation offering major insights into the demand side of this illicit and uniquely lucrative trade. This resource provides granular and regularly updated information on the Chinese purchasers of Iran’s oil.

The Purchasers

Data received and reviewed by UANI shows that Iranian oil is being imported by China’s officially non-state, semi-independent “teapot” petrochemical refiners.  Teapots were originally permitted to import crude, subject to centrally imposed quotas, starting in July 2015. Since then, China’s economic planning agency, the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), has granted tens of new licenses annually. Estimates of the number of teapots hover around 150.

Today, the teapots import approximately one-fifth of all China’s oil needs. Around 70% of China’s teapot oil processing takes place in the eastern coastal province of Shandong, south of Beijing and north of Shanghai. For Iranian oil purchases, the teapots manage to buy at steep discounts—at least $4 a barrel below benchmark Brent. The Iranian origin of oil is also concealed by rebranding as either Omani Crude, Iraqi Crude, Russian Urals, Bitumen Blend, Nemina, or Malaysian Blend.

The fact that teapots—rather than major state actors—are importing the bulk of Iranian oil makes sense from China’s perspective. Since the U.S. has, in fact, sanctioned Chinese state-owned imports in the past, such as Zhuhai Zhenrong, the decision to import Iranian oil via dozens of small, unaffiliated “non-state” firms helps obscure the Chinese government’s role and protect its own big firms from scrutiny, accountability, and attendant sanctions. By contrast, with their small size and limited business operations, teapots are both hard to uncover and not exposed to the U.S. financial system. In conjunction with the lack of U.S. enforcement, the threat of sanctions is, therefore, far less of a constraining factor. 

Available data - through August 2024 - shows the top teapot refinery purchasing Iranian crude is Qingdao-based Lawen Namu Petroleum Trading Co. Ltd. (Lawen Namu). Lawen Namu received at least 29 different shipments of Iranian crude oil, branded as crude, Oman crude, or Nemina. Together these shipments totaled approximately 39 million barrels of Iranian oil. UANI wrote to Lawen Namu in February 2023.

Lawen Namu is a trading company based at the key port of Qingdao in Shandong province. In January 2021, S&P Global noted that Lawen Namu’s oil imports had “jumped 212%” from the previous month, while it classified most of its imports as “blended grades” from Oman, West Africa, and Russia.”

The second biggest teapot importer is Kedama, which appears to be formally identified as Qingdao Kedama Energy Trading Co. Ltd, is third.  Founded in June 2022, Kedama is a relative newcomer to Shandong’s burgeoning petrochemical trading scene.  Shangang Guomao, which has received 20 different shipments of Iranian crude oil, branded as “Crude, Forties, Malaysia or Bitumen Blend,” is third.  Together, these shipments have totaled more than 33.5 million barrels of Iranian oil.

Fourth is Shandong Dongfang Hualong Industry & Trade Group Co Ltd. (Hualong). Hualong has received at least 26 shipments of Iranian crude branded as Urals, Mal Blend, Oman, or Blue Laser. Together, these shipments totaled more than 28.6 million barrels of Iranian oil.

Fifth on our list is Shandong Shengxing Chemical Co., Ltd. (Shandong Shengxing), located on the northern coast of Shandong province. According to Global Trade Alert, Shandong Shengxing was granted its import license on May 23, 2018, perhaps not coincidentally, just two weeks after President Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA). Shengxing has received at least 29 different shipments of Iranian crude, branded as Oman crude, and Iraqi crude oil. Together, these shipments totaled approximately 28.3 million barrels of Iranian oil.  UANI wrote to Shandong Shengxing in February 2023. 

In addition to documentation obtained by UANI, the Wikiran website cites a further six teapot refineries - Lihuayi Lijin Refining & Chemical Co. Ltd Shandong Tianhong Chemical Co. Ltd Henan Fengli Petro-Chemical Co. Ltd Shandong Kenli Petrochemical Co. Ltd Qirun Group Co. Ltd Dongying Lianhe Petrochemical Group Co. Ltd. (Fuhai Group) – reportedly accounting for a monthly delivery of four million barrels over a one year period and in apparent collaboration with the Turkish energy giant, ASB Group.  The full table of teapot refiners importing Iranian oil is listed in descending order from largest importer by barrels below. UANI will continue to update this chart as we receive more information on the purchasers of Iranian oil in China [Table Updated August 30, 2024]

Refinery

Number of Shipments

Branded/Rebranded As

# of Barrels

Vessels Involved

LAWEN NAMU

29

Crude, Oman and Nemina

39,785,151

 

 

 

 

 

FENG TAI, HERA 1, ATILAN, SIRI,

MEMPHIS, ALANA, URI, GAGAN, COSMO, LUKA, JADEAR, FJORD SEAL, SAKARYA

KEDAMA

25

Nemina and Mal Blend

38,893,002

HERA 1, MEMPHIS, FENG TAI, BELLA 1, GAGAN, JADEAR, SIRI, LYDIA II, COSMO, YUG, LUKA, YURI, AYDEN, NIERUS

SHANGANG GUOMAO

20

Crude, Forties, Malaysia and Bitumen Blend

33,590,557

GLOBAL HARVEST, ELOISE, ANSHUN II, CARINA, PROGRESS V, BREEZE V, PHOENIX I, TITAN, ASTERIX, AMOR, SALVIA, LYDIA II, FIONA, BENDIGO

HUALONG

27

Urals, Mal Blend, Oman and Blue Laser

30,618,708

SPIRIT OF CASPER, PHOENIX I, ELOISE, MENG XIN, LEOPARD, IVY, PRADA, BERG 1, MAGIC LADY, CARNATIC, AMOR, AYDEN, STAR FOREST, PHONIX, SALVIA, RIQUEZA, GLOBAL HARVEST

SHANDONG SHENGXING

29

Oman, Iraq, Bitumen Blend and Mal Blend

28,344,045

VIOLA, VORAS, ANASTASIA I, FURIA, AVENTUS I, BERG 1, WILMA II, BRAVA LAKE, MENG XIN, KRASNOYARSK, RANI, NYANTARA, GOODWIN, SANABEL, AYDEN, OTARIA, STAR FOREST, JAL GAMINI, LATTAFA, SHANNON II

JINCHENG

14

Oman, Bitumen Blend, Mosa, Crude and Belayim

25,044,319

ASTERIX, TIBURTINA, CARINA, ELINE, JAYA, NATALINA 7, LUNA PRIME, IZUMO, PHONIX, OLYM, WEN YAO, SCORPIUS, DAVINA

QIHANG YUANYANG/QIHANG ENERGY

16

Fujairah and Mal Blend

24,377,206 

PENTA I, OXIS, BELLA 1, IZUMO, VETER, ELVA, TREND, LIMAS, NIERUS, OHAR, SAPPHIRE, PRADA

XINTAI

22

Malaysia, Nemina, Bitumen Blend, ESPO, Oman and Fuel Oil

19,377,648

FURIA, VIOLA, RANI, BRIGHT SONIA, SPIRIT OF CASPER, ANASTASIA I, SHANAYE QUEEN, AVENTUS I, BRAVA LAKE, GOODWIN, SANABEL, RIVERIA I, GLOBAL HARVEST

YUEYANG GUANSHENG

11

Bitumen Blend and Fuel Oil

16,762,633

AVITAL, LYDIA II, ARLAN, PALMER, SPIRIT OF CASPER, BERG 1, ELVA, FIONA, ARTEMIS III, VIGOR

GUANGHUI KAINENG

11

Mal Blend

15,265,903

SANABEL, MEMPHIS, MS ANGIA, ATILA, IVY, LYDIA II, LATTAFA, YUG, DIMITRA II, AYDEN

GEA

11

Mal Blend and Nemina

14,597,216

LELIA, OLYM, CARINA I, PENTA I, MENG XIN, REX 1, JOEL, VANITY, SANAR

SHENCHI

14

Mal Blend

13,895,535

BRIGHT SONIA,

PRADA, DOLPHIN,  ARLAN, SPIRIT OF CASPER, ANNA, NEW MILOS, ELVA, STAR FOREST, BENDIGO, CARINA I, SANAR, SANABEL

YINGYU ENERGY

9

Mal Blend, Oman and Urals

13,011,671

OTARIA, AMAK, GLOBAL HARVEST, PHOENIX I, BERG 1, PALMER, NIERUS, TIFANI, MENG XIN

XINYUE

11

Crude and Mal Blend

10,641,518

PALMER, ZENITH (EX: ABYSS), ANNA, BRIGHT SONIA, MS ANGIA, GOODWIN, STAR FOREST, NYANTARA, RIVERIA I, OHAR (EX: ARTURA)

QIRUN

8

Mal Blend

8,953,653

PALMER, ANNA, VIGOR, SANAR, ARLAN, SPIRIT OF CASPER, BESTLA, BOREY G

KELIDA

9

Crude, Oman, Iraq, Mal Blend and Nemina

8,716,385

CLYDE NOBLE, LELIA, ARLAN, OLYM, ANITA, ELVA, OTARIA, VENTURA

DONGMING

6

Fuel Oil,Mal Blend and Crude

8,216,311

PALMER, ATILA, DIMITRA II, SPIRIT OF CASPER, RIVERIA I, SHARP OCEAN

LUQING

5

Mal Blend

7,625,065

CARNATIC, IONA, LIMAS, MEHLE, LUNA PRIME

XIN RUI JI

4

Mal Blend

6,948,846

URI, YUG, NESO, TML

MEIJIANENG

5

Oman, Mal Blend and Bitumen Blend

6,423,348

ELOISE, JADEAR, NIERUS, SNOW LOTUS, ZENITH

BANFU ENERGY

3

Mal Blend, Nemina

4,732,148

SIRI, ALANA

QICHENG

4

Oman, Bitumen Blend, Malaysia Blend

4,364,232

GOODWIN, ARLAN, SALVIA, ATILA

XINRUN INTERNATIONAL

4

Mal Blend

4,345,139

GOODWIN, SHANAYE QUEEN, RANI

ZHONGKANG/ZHONGYANG INTERNATIONAL

2

Mal Blend & Fuel Oil

4,003,824

IVY, MONIQUE

HENGLI PETROCHEMICAL

3

Crude

3,982,379

DAKSHA, SCORPIUS, STAR FOREST

FURONGKANG

3

Crude, Oman & Mal Blend

3,804,369

IVY, BRIGHT SONIA, FIONA

DINGQIAN

3

Bitumen Blend and Mal Blend

3,559,641

NYANTARA, RIVERIA I, GOODWIN

HEBEI XINHAI

3

Crude & Mal Blend

3,344,899

PABLO, URGANE I, HORNET

YINGKE

3

Fuel Oil & Mal Blend

3,215,930

LADY LUCY, AMOR, CARNATIC

HANKUN ENERGY

2

Light Crude and Malaysian Blend

3,141,882

ALANA, PHONIX

GANGRUN

2

NEMINA

3,096,726

MEMPHIS, JADEAR

HAIKE

3

Mal Blend

3,076,029

GOODWIN, CARNATIC

LITU FENGYUAN

2

Mal Blend

2,978,665

SERENE 1, KASPER

YEUYANG GUANSHENG

2

Bitumen Blend and Mal Blend

2,974,386

HORNET, BENDIGO

OCEANIC

5

Bitumen Blend, TBA

2,923,916

PHOENIX I, DOLPHIN, INGRID, TESLA 

HAIWANGDA

2

Bitumen Blend, Mal Blend

2,651,910

BRIGHT SONIA, IVY

HUAJIN XIANGRUN

4

Mal Blend

2,639,642

PHOENIX I, PABLO, VIOLA, AMOR

XINCHI

2

Bitumen Blend and Fujairah

2,221,568

SKADI, NESS

XINRUIJI

1

Mal Blend

2,083,670

BELLA 1

CHANGFENG

1

Mal Blend

2,042,323

JAL GAMINI

SAIDI

1

Fujairah Blend

2,042,266

VIRGO

CISM

1

Mal Blend

2,012,558

PENTA I

QINGHANG ENERGY

1

Fujairah

2,007,772

YALE

XIANNENG

1

Bitumen Blend

1,999,219

SCORPIUS

GUANGDONG HONGHANG

1

Crude

1,994,565

YALE

QINGGANG QULIU

1

Mal Blend

1,980,791

CARNATIC

ZHONGYOU YIHAI

1

Fuel Oil

1,972, 160

WIN WIN

LZVHOU

1

Mal Blend

1,921,461

MONTROSE

HAO KUN

1

Bitumen Blend

1,921,423

PENTA I

YATAI ENERGY

1

Malaysian Blend

1,919,096

LUNA PRIME

QINGAO KERUI

1

Bitumen Blend

1,907,070

VIGOR

ZHONGLIAN HARUI

1

Malaysian Blend

1,856,190

SIREN II

KAIDING

1

Crude

1,843,156

URI

HUAYOU

2

Mal Blend and Crude

1,810,641

SANABEL, DOLPHIN

SINOCHEM CHANGHE

2

Bitumen Blend, Oman

1,722,944

BERG 1, SANABEL

DAQI CHEMICAL

2

Condensate and Crude

1,609,034

ATLANTIS MZ, NARCISSUS

ZHONGYOU RUNHAI

2

Mal Blend

1,575,234

IVY, FURIA

GAIDA

2

Crude

1,534,340

 

ELOISE, FENG TAI 

XINZHUOYUE

2

TBA

1,501,419

ANASTASIA I, BRIGHT SONIA

YISHENGXIANG

1

Mal Blend

1,501,419

NIERUS

OCEAN PARK

2

Mal Blend, Nemina

1,377,266

ALANA, PHOENIX I

DAOYANG

2

Bitumen Blend

1,136,828

CIMARRON, SANAR

CHAMBROAD

2

Bitumen Blend

1,291,249

SANABEL, BRIGHT SONIA

RONGHAI

2

Crude, Mal Blend

1,228,102

SERANO II, SAMSUN

YINGJIRUI

1

Nemina

1,125,532

MEMPHIS

TAIFENG HAIRUN

2

Crude

1,104,875

DOLPHIN, PRADA 

QINGYUAN

2

Nemina

1,093,771

MEMPHIS

ZHENHUA

1

Crude

1,087,032

KASPER

ZHEJIANG WUCHAN

1

Bitumen Blend

1,078,153

MEMPHIS

JULI

1

Mal Blend

1,065,341

GLOBAL HARVEST

HANGSHI

1

Mal Blend

1,042,960

CHLOE

KAIYI PETROCHEMICAL

1

Bitumen Blend

1,035, 729

SANAR

RUNCHENG

2

Bitumen Blend

1,034,667

ARINA, HORNET

ZHONGCHEN

1

Bitumen Blend

1,014,631

LALIQUE

HENGFENG

1

Mal Blend

973,389

ARLAN

HAIRUN SHENGDE

2

Bitumen Blend and Mal Blend

1,731,354

TIBURTINA, NYANTARA

DONGYING HONGXIANG

1

Mal Blend

935084

AYDEN

GUANGJIN SHUNHE

2

Bitumen Blend

848,326

VIOLA, RANI

WANTONG

1

Crude

842,920

CRESTED 

DINGYI

1

Oman

740,349

ALBA SUN

HAIYUE ENERGY

1

Mal Blend

737,437

NYANTARA

SHENGJU YUAN

1

Bitumen Blend

726,864

VIOLA

JINAN ZONGBAO

1

Bitumen Blend

723,421

POMPEI II

LIANRUN

1

Mal Blend

722,780

PHOENIX I

HUANHAI ENERGY

1

Singma

719,500

VENTURA

YUANTONG ZHENGDAO

1

Mal Blend

718,064

ZENITH

CGN

1

Mal Blend

717,867

CLYDE NOBLE

TIANHONG

1

Mal Blend

715,881

EVERSHINE

SHILONG

1

Crude

711,301

NYANTARA 

BEI ANG SI

1

Mal Blend

703,286

HESTIA

ZHOUSHAN JIAOTOU

1

Bitumen Blend

691,500

VENTURA

HANYUAN ENERGY

1

Crude

684,399

URGANE I 

XINHAN

1

Crude

609,009

ZENITH

LIANHONG

1

Condensate

605,163

SUPER EVER

ZHONGJIAO

1

Crude

512,117

JAKA TARUB 

SHANGNENG

1

Bitumen Blend

505,250

DOLPHIN

GUANGZHOU RUBIO

1

Mal Blend

500,000

MS ANGIA

HONGRUN

1

Mal Blend

496,900

CIMARRON

EDEN

1

Mal Blend

419,403

DOLPHIN

REMIS TRADING

1

Oman

265,900

AVENTUS I

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*reportedly not affiliated with Sinochem Holding 

sHANDONG pRO
(Credit: Reuters Muyu Xu)