Suspected of framing Sinopec, the involved gas station of Zhongyuan Petrochemical has been placed under investigation.

Recently, the “Zhongyuan Petrochemical” gas station in Luquan District, Shijiazhuang, Hebei, has attracted widespread attention. It is under investigation for allegedly impersonating “China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec).”

On March 25, according to CCTV News, after verification by relevant authorities in Luquan District, it was found that the gas station illegally used signage similar to “Sinopec,” and orders have been issued to remove the “Zhongyuan Petrochemical” signage. The station manager stated that they have received notice to begin rectification and remove the related signage. Additionally, regarding the station’s suspected unauthorized use of signage similar to that of a well-known brand, the Luquan District Market Supervision Bureau has filed a case and will handle it according to law based on the investigation results.

The controversy over Zhongyuan Petrochemical’s gas station was sparked by a recent social media post by a netizen in Hebei. The user claimed that after refueling at a gas station, they realized it was not Sinopec but Zhongyuan Petrochemical, and they were surprised at the low fuel prices. Photos circulating online show that the name, logo, and overall color scheme of Zhongyuan Petrochemical are quite similar to Sinopec’s, leading the netizen to question whether it is a “knockoff” or a “counterfeit gas station.”

In response to the doubts, the person in charge of the involved Zhongyuan Petrochemical gas station told the media that the station has a valid business license, registered in 2010, under the full name “Shijiazhuang Luquan District Zhongyuan Petrochemical Baichi Gan Gas Station.”

According to Tianyancha, the station was established on August 18, 2010, located west of Baichi Gan Village, Lichun Town, Luquan District, Shijiazhuang. It has a registered capital of 200,000 yuan, with Yang Wucheng as the investor, operating as a sole proprietorship. Its business scope includes lubricants sales, car wash services, retail of refined oil, retail of tobacco products, and more.

Jiemian News noted that Yang Wucheng previously owned a “Sinopec Hebei Shijiazhuang Petroleum Branch Baichi Gan Gas Station,” established on May 10, 1999. Two months after the founding of Zhongyuan Petrochemical Baichi Gan Gas Station, this former station was deregistered on October 19, 2010.

According to Tianyancha, there are multiple Zhongyuan Petrochemical gas stations and related companies across China, mostly privately owned sole proprietorships or joint ventures, many located in rural towns. For example, Zhongyuan Petrochemical (Hubei) Co., Ltd. was established in May 2025 in Longhe Village, Gaoluo Town, Xuan’en County, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Hubei Province, with a registered capital of 500,000 yuan. The legal representative is Zhang Yanqiao, and the actual controller is Zhang Yanyan. The company owed 810 yuan in taxes last year.

Besides the impersonation of Sinopec, China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and CNOOC have also taken action against “counterfeit” gas stations.

In December 2021, Jiemian News reported that a driver from Yushu, Jilin Province, said that a gas station called “Zhongwei Petroleum” looked very similar to China National Petroleum (PetroChina). He often refueled there, paying over 20,000 yuan, only to realize when issuing the invoice that it was “Zhongwei Petroleum,” not PetroChina. The station had previously been reported by local regulators for substandard refined oil.

There are also numerous gas stations nationwide named “Zhongwei Petroleum.” According to the Judgment Document Network, a company called Haicheng Zhongwei Petroleum Sales Co., Ltd. was sued by China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) for trademark infringement.

According to Article 57 of the Trademark Law, using a similar trademark on the same goods without the permission of the trademark registrant constitutes an infringement of the exclusive right to use the registered trademark.

Ultimately, the Intermediate People’s Court of Dandong, Liaoning Province, ruled in the first instance that Haicheng Zhongwei Petroleum Sales Co., Ltd. must immediately cease infringing upon CNPC’s registered trademark rights and pay damages and other costs totaling over 160,000 yuan.