April 01, 2026 [Reuters]- PetroChina has supplied a rare cargo of close to 2 million barrels of crude oil from storage in China to its ​half-owned refinery in Singapore, as the firm moves to plug shortfalls ‌triggered by the Iran war, according to tanker trackers and three trade sources.

The tanker New Merit loaded 1.8 million barrels of crude at Dalian in northeast China ​in mid-March, delivering it in late March to Singapore’s Jurong ​island, according to tanker trackers Vortexa and Kpler, where PetroChina ⁠and U.S. major Chevron operate a 50-50 joint venture refinery.

The sources ​declined to be named as they are not authorised to speak to ​the media.

China rarely exports crude oil. The shipment was of Murban crude from the UAE, according to Vortexa Analytics and a separate trade source. PetroChina is an equity ​partner in Murban production.

PetroChina did not immediately respond to a request ​for comment, while SRC declined to comment on its refinery operations.

PetroChina and Chevron take ‌turns ⁠supplying crude to their 285,000 barrel-per-day Singapore Refining Co’s plant on a quarterly basis, said a fourth source familiar with its operation.

SRC, one of Singapore’s three refineries, typically processes oil from the Middle East as its ​main feedstock and ​has been running ⁠at a reduced rate of around 60% since early March as the war disrupts crude supply form the region.

Refineries ​across Asia, which buy the bulk of Middle Eastern ​oil ⁠exports, have cut runs to manage feedstock shortfalls.

PetroChina chairman Dai Houliang said last week that the company was able to maintain normal oil and gas operations due ⁠its ​low reliance on supply that transits through the ​Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively blocked for a month.