Sinostar debuts in Singapore

China’s small, independent refineries are setting up shop in Asias oil trading hub Singapore to secure fuel and raise funds, and more will follow as Beijing pries open its tightly state-controlled sector, traders said. Sinostar PEC Holdings, which made a successful US$41 million debut in the Singapore stock market recently, is one of China’s expanding army of independent oil refiners and the first with an initial public offering at the bourse. These plants — known as “teapots” — have become a critical swing producer that supply 15% of the world’s second-largest oil market. Petro-win, a firm backed by teapot owners and importing fuel for plants in eastern China’s Shandong province, set up its Singapore office 11 months ago to carve a niche in the Asian trading community of fuel oil, of which China is the region’s largest buyer. (September 26, 2007)