Petroleum exploitation causes contamination of shrub lands close to oil wells. Soil petroleum contamination affects nutrient release during the litter decomposition of shrubs, which influences nutrient recycling and the maintenance of soil fertility. Hence, this contamination may reduce the long-term growth and stability of shrub communities and consequently, the effects of phytoremediation. Fresh foliar litter of Hippophae rhamnoides, a potential phytoremediating species, was collected for this study. The litter was placed in litterbags and then buried in different petroleum-polluted soil media (the petroleum concentrations were 15, 30, and 45 g kg(-1) dry soil, which were considered as slightly, moderately and seriously polluted soil, respectively) for a decomposition test. The impacts of petroleum contamination on the release of nutrients (including N, P, K, Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ca and Mg) were assessed. The results showed that (1) after one year of decomposition, the release of all nutrients was accelerated in the slightly polluted soil. In the moderately polluted soil, P release was accelerated, while Cu, Zn and Mn release was inhibited. In the seriously polluted soil, Cu and Zn release was accelerated, while the release of the other nutrients was inhibited. (2) The effect of petroleum on nutrient release from litter differed in different periods during decomposition; this was mainly due to changes in soil microorganisms and enzymes under the stress of petroleum contamination. (3) To maintain the nutrient cycling and the soil fertility of shrub lands, H. rhamnoides is only suitable for phytoremediation of soils containing less than 30 g kg(-1) of petroleum.