Russian Oil Finds Fewer Takers in China After Hit From Sanctions

Chinese oil refiners are shunning Russian shipments after the US and others blacklisted Moscow’s top producers and some of its customers.

State-owned giants such as Sinopec and PetroChina Co. are staying on the sidelines, having canceled some Russian cargoes in the wake of US sanctions on Rosneft PJSC and Lukoil PJSC last month, according to traders. Smaller private refiners, dubbed teapots, are also holding off, fearful of attracting similar penalties to those faced by Shandong Yulong Petrochemical Co., which was recently blacklisted by the UK and European Union.