A major inland Chinese refiner, Yanchang Petroleum, is seeking non-Russian oil as another state-run plant, Luoyang Petrochemical, closes its two crude distillation units following US sanctions, Reuters reports. 

Yanchang seeks non-Russian oil for winter deliveries

Chinese refiner Yanchang Petroleum is now seeking crude supplies that do not originate from Russia, traders told Reuters. The company, backed by the Shaanxi provincial government and located in northern inland China, has launched a tender to secure non-Russian oil for delivery between December and mid-February.

Yanchang, which holds an annual import quota of 3.6 million metric tons or 26 million barrels, typically receives crude via rail from Tianjin port near Beijing. Until now, it had regularly bought Russian oil, with one trader noting the refiner used to import around one shipment per month, typically Far East export grades like ESPO blend or Sokol, Reuters reported.

Its decision to avoid Russian supplies marks a significant shift. China and India are the top buyers of Russian oil, but recent sanctions by the US and other Western countries have raised fears among buyers of falling afoul of secondary penalties. Yanchang has not responded to Reuters’ request for comment.

Sinopec’s Luoyang refinery shut amid supply disruption

At the same time, a separate Chinese state-owned refinery has suspended operations due to disruptions linked to those same sanctions. Reuters reports that Luoyang Petrochemical, a subsidiary of the Chinese state refining giant Sinopec, has shut down both of its crude distillation units for maintenance.

The halt comes after US authorities sanctioned a key oil terminal in eastern China in early October. That terminal handles roughly one-fifth of Sinopec’s crude imports. The action forced significant diversions in crude shipments and affected operations at connected plants supplied by pipeline, including Luoyang.

Three sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that Luoyang’s crude units, with a combined processing capacity of 200,000 barrels per day, have been offline since late October. The shutdown is expected to last through the end of November. 

Ukraine struck deep into Russian territory with drone attacks on the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant in Bashkortostan nearly 1,500 kilometers inside Russia early on 4 November 2025, local sources reported. The facility, one of Russia’s key chemical producers tied to the defense industry, suffered explosions and visible fires after the strike.

The Sterlitamak petrochemical plant is one of Bashkortostan’s largest chemical enterprises. It is an important site supplying the Russian defense-industrial complex. The plant manufactures synthetic rubber, isoprene, ionol, and aviation gasoline — materials used in military production.

Explosions and drone alert in Sterlitamak

Ukrainian Telegram channel Exilenova+ shared photos and videos from the scene and reported that residents of Sterlitamak heard two powerful explosions before dawn and that drone attack alerts sounded across the city. The shared footage shows three distinct smoke sources at the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant.

Local authorities later confirmed an explosion allegedly at the water treatment workshop of the Sterlitamak petrochemical plant, saying the building partially collapsed while five workers were inside. Officials claimed no one was injured. Emergency services and the city’s head arrived at the scene, saying the causes of the explosion were being investigated.

Russian Telegram channel Astra published several videos geolocated to the plant area, showing at least two explosions at 6:22 and 7:09 a.m. local time, followed by fires and heavy smoke.

The channel also said airports in Ufa, Kazan, and Nizhnekamsk were temporarily closed after the incident. OSINT analysis by Astra noted several separate fire spots around the industrial zone and suggested that one ignition point appeared near railway tanks or storage facilities north of the main complex.

The head of Bashkortostan, Radiy Khabirov, said the Sterlitamak industrial complex was hit by two drones. He alleged that Russian air defenses and security services shot both down, but admitted that ostensibly debris fell in the industrial area, allegedly damaging auxiliary facilities. Khabirov said there were no casualties and claimed the enterprise continued operating normally.

Ukrainian officials have not commented on this latest strike.

The same industrial area in Sterlitamak was targeted last month, when drones attacked a nearby plant involved in producing oil and gas equipment and explosives.