Chinese Teapots Snap Up Middle East Crude As Prices Slide

Chinese private refiners are buying Middle Eastern crude on the spot market amid falling prices, Bloomberg reported today, citing two purchases of Saudi and Emirati crude. According to the report, one teapot refiner, Rongsheng Petrochemical Co. bought a cargo of Saudi crude for prompt delivery this month, and another, Shengdong petrochemical Group Co. snapped up an Emirati Upper Zakum crude cargo. A third private refiner from China bought a cargo of Iraqi Basrah crude for delivery next month, unnamed trading sources told the publication. The purchases…