A citizen recently reported through a public feedback platform that while refueling at a gas station in Chengdu's PiDu District bearing "China National Petroleum Corporation" (PetroChina) branding, she encountered issues such as the inability to pay using PetroChina's official mini-program, frequent automatic nozzle shut-off ("jumping gun") during fueling, and discrepancies in the payee information. "I suspect it's a 'counterfeit' gas station," the citizen said.
What is the actual situation? An investigation was conducted. On the day of the incident, the citizen noticed a gas station while passing by. Its exterior decoration, brand logos, and staff uniforms were consistent with those of the PetroChina stations she usually visits. "I had a PetroChina coupon and thought I could use it directly, so I went in to refuel," she said. However, a series of subsequent anomalies raised her suspicions.
First was the difference in payment methods. The citizen wanted to use the PetroChina official mini-program "中油好客e站" (Zhongyou Haoke E-station) to pay and utilize her coupon but was informed by the attendant during refueling that it "could not be located and was unusable." "I've been able to use this mini-program at other PetroChina stations before; an official station should logically support its own online payment system," she stated. Furthermore, she was puzzled by the frequent automatic nozzle shut-off ("jumping gun") during fueling. "My car is new, and I have never encountered this problem at other gas stations before," she added.
The citizen questioned the attendant on-site but received no reasonable explanation, so she only refueled for 100 RMB. After payment, she discovered that the payee was "Chengdu Songshun'an Clean Energy Co., Ltd. Tangchang Gas Station," whereas payments at other PetroChina stations had always been to branches of PetroChina. "The appearance and staff uniforms are all PetroChina's, but the payment and invoice information don't match. I suspect this is a 'counterfeit' gas station," the citizen expressed.
An investigation revealed the actual name of the station, found via a mapping app, is "PetroChina Songshun'an Tangchang Gas Station (Cooperative Operation)." A site visit confirmed its exterior, brand logos, and staff uniforms are consistent with PetroChina's company-operated stations. However, differences exist. That day, the price for 95-octane gasoline was 7.42 RMB/liter, and staff mentioned a member day discount of 0.60 RMB per liter, a discount not commonly seen at other PetroChina stations. Additionally, a sign in the corner of the station's board read "Zhongyou Special Supply Chuan A147," which is also uncommon at company-operated stations.
Contact with PetroChina's official customer service confirmed, after a system check, that this station is not a company-operated station but is also not "counterfeit." It is a formal cooperative site operating under a franchise model, managed uniformly by PetroChina. This was later confirmed by the PiDu District Energy Office. The客服 further explained that the franchise model involves PetroChina authorizing a partner through a formal contract to operate the station, permitting the use of PetroChina branding and requiring operation according to unified standards. These stations generally operate and account independently, hence the invoicing entity is typically the station's registered name, not PetroChina. Furthermore, depending on the cooperative agreement, payment functions at franchised stations may differ; most only support fuel cards and have not activated payment services linked to the PetroChina official mini-program. "Therefore, the consistent appearance and uniforms seen by consumers are legitimate uses under the franchise model," the客服 stated, adding that models like leasing and franchising comply with the "Measures for the Administration of Refined Oil Circulation."
A query on mapping software showed that such cooperative (franchised) gas stations are relatively common in Chengdu. Are the fuel sources for franchised stations consistent with PetroChina's company-operated stations? "After receiving the report, we checked the station's monthly purchase documents and confirmed the fuel is procured through正规 PetroChina channels; fueling nozzles and other measuring instruments are sent for inspection every quarter as required, with results being合格 and valid," staff from the Tangchang Town Market Supervision and Management Office in PiDu District stated. Regulatory authorities conducted a special inspection on fuel quality and metering promptly and found no issues.
Regarding the frequent "jumping gun" issue, consultation with an automotive repair industry insider revealed that "jumping gun" is a safety mechanism of the nozzle's anti-overflow sensor. Frequent occurrences are mainly related to the attendant's operational standards, the condition of the fueling equipment, and the vehicle's fuel tank ventilation system, and are not directly related to fuel quality.
The investigation found that a major reason for consumer suspicion of "counterfeiting" is unclear station identification. Article 25 of the "Measures for the Administration of Refined Oil Circulation" implemented by the Ministry of Commerce stipulates that franchised gas stations must display the words "Franchised" or "特许经营" prominently on the station canopy, and the标注的企业名称 must match the information on the refined oil retail business approval certificate.
The citizen stated that regarding her complaint, a relevant负责人 from PetroChina in PiDu District had replied by phone, acknowledging shortcomings in the station's service and identification prompts, which have now been rectified. Before this article was finalized, a visit to the station showed that notice boards had been added near the fuel dispensers, and prompts were placed at the checkout counter, informing consumers of the station's cooperative operation nature and the temporary inability to use the official mini-program for payment, among other situations.
The relevant负责人 from PetroChina in PiDu District stated that the next step involves strengthening business training for service personnel at cooperative partners to standardize the identification and labeling of cooperative stations within the jurisdiction, effectively protecting consumers' legitimate rights and interests.
In a reply on the public platform, the PiDu District Energy Office stated the station signed a cooperative operation contract with PetroChina Sichuan Chengdu Sales Branch in July 2025, authorizing the use of the "China National Petroleum Corporation" brand until July 2028. It is a legally operating gas station entity in PiDu District with all necessary licenses. Subject to PetroChina's brand authorization requirements and the cooperative contract terms, the station's fuel quality and quantity management fully adhere to PetroChina's system requirements. It possesses fuel purchase orders, fuel quality inspection reports, and fuel dispenser metering verification certificates. The station will continue to enhance customer service.
The PiDu District Market and Quality Supervision Administration replied that based on the reported issue, law enforcement officers conducted an on-site inspection. The gas station provided evidence including business qualifications and a cooperative agreement with PetroChina, proving it has authorization from PetroChina and does not constitute trademark infringement. Simultaneously, the inability to use the official "中油好客e站" payment is stipulated in the contract between the gas station and PetroChina.
Tips for distinguishing between "Company-Operated" and "Cooperative" stations: 1. Check the official mini-program: Only company-operated stations are displayed and can use the official online payment function. 2. Look at navigation map labels: Note if words like "Franchised" or "合作经营" appear on the map, key indicators of franchised or cooperative stations. 3. Verify payment information: After payment, check the receipt or payment voucher for the payee information.
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