China Taps Crude Inventories ... Again
China dipped into its massive crude oil stockpile in August for the third month in the past four as increased refinery processing exceeded a modest increase in oil imports.Refineries processed about 640,000 barrels per day (bpd) more than what was available to them from imports and domestic oil production, according to calculations based on official data.China, the world's biggest crude importer, slashed its purchases to the lowest in a decade…
China Plans to Increase Wind, Solar Generation by 50% in Five Years
China plans to increase wind and solar power generation by 53% over the next five years, under a renewable energy plan released on Thursday that for the first time makes its green power target binding.The plan is aimed at increasing overall renewable generation to 1.8 billion tons of coal equivalent (tce) by 2030 from 1.18 billion tce in 2025, and at making renewables more reliable sources of power during spikes in demand. Here are other key points:By 2030…
US LNG Tanker Completes First Direct Sail to China Since Tariff Dispute
A vessel carrying U.S. liquefied natural gas has sailed directly from the U.S. to China for the first time since trade tensions between Washington and Beijing effectively halted direct shipments, vessel-tracking data showed.However, analysts say it may never enter China as the terminal's bonded storage facilities allow re-exports without import duties.Carrying a cargo loaded in early June from U.S. energy firm Venture Global LNG's VG.N Plaquemines export plant in Louisiana…
Saudi Crude Supply to China Remain at Record Low in July
Saudi Arabia's crude oil sales to China are expected to stay at record lows in July as elevated prices in the wake of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran continue to weigh on demand from the world's largest crude importer, sources familiar with the matter said.The allocations, closely watched by market participants as a gauge of Chinese demand, indicate that refiners remain reluctant to import high-priced barrels following run cuts and as they draw…
China Calls for Gulf Conflict to End, Addressing Southeast Asia Energy Shortages
China called for an end to conflict in the Gulf and said the safety of waterways should not be disturbed on Thursday, adding that it was ready to work with Southeast Asia to address energy shortages as oil markets reel from supply shocks.While the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has allowed China to cast itself as the more reliable superpower, analysts say it is wary of global energy market uncertainty, not least because it needs the resources it has…
China Oil Refiners Feel Safe From Iran Conflict Disruption with Crude Stockpile
Refiners in China, the world's top oil importer, have enough supply on hand to weather near-term disruption from the Iran conflict, bolstered by recent record purchases of Iranian and Russian crude and robust government stockpiling, traders said.A prolonged supply disruption could, however, force the country's refiners to curb output and run down commercial stockpiles, some of the traders said.China has around 900 million barrels in strategic inventories…
Kazakhstan to Divert Kashagan Oil to China After Ukraine Drone Attack
Kazakhstan said on Wednesday it would redirect some oil from its Kashagan field to China and other routes after a Ukrainian drone attack last month on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's Black Sea terminal in Russia.The decision was announced by the energy ministry after Reuters reported earlier this week that Kazakhstan plans to supply crude to China directly from Kashagan for the first time after the Ukrainian attack damaged the CPC terminal.The CPC, which accounts for 1% of global crude supply and includes Russian, Kazakh and U.S.
Yanchang Seeks Non-Russian Oil in Tender
Chinese refiner Yanchang Petroleum is seeking non-Russian oil in its latest crude tender, trade sources told Reuters on Tuesday, while others said Sinopec subsidiary Luoyang Petrochemical has shut for maintenance as an indirect result of Western sanctions.China's state oil companies and some Indian refiners are avoiding buying Russian oil due to concerns about falling foul of secondary sanctions after recent western sanctions on Russian oil shipments, including last month's U.S.
China Suspends Russian Oil Purchases Due to Sanctions
Chinese state oil majors have suspended purchases of seaborne Russian oil after the United States imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil, Moscow's two biggest oil companies, multiple trade sources said on Thursday.The move comes as refiners in India, the largest buyer of seaborne Russian oil, are set to sharply cut their crude imports from Moscow, to comply with the U.S.
Oil Prices Settle 1.5% Lower as US-China Trade Tensions Persist
Oil prices fell on Tuesday, settling 1.5% lower as the International Energy Agency warned of a huge supply glut in 2026, and as trade tensions persisted between the U.S. and China, the world's two biggest economies.Brent crude futures fell 93 cents, or 1.5%, to settle at $62.39 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude was down 1.3%, or 79 cents, at $58.70. Both contracts were at a five-month low.In the previous session, Brent settled 0.9% higher, and U.S.
US Sanctions on Iranian Oil Target Sinopec
The latest U.S. sanctions on Iranian petroleum exports deal a blow to Chinese refining giant Sinopec by targeting a terminal through which the state major handles one-fifth of its crude oil imports, industry executives and analysts said.The sanctions announced on Thursday further complicate U.S.-China relations, coming ahead of planned talks between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping later this month.The move follows China's decision to…
US Imposes Sanctions on Oil Refineries and Purchases
The U.S. imposed sanctions on about 100 individuals, entities and vessels, including a Chinese independent refinery and terminal, that helped Iran's oil and petrochemicals trade, the administration of President Donald Trump said on Thursday.The Treasury Department sanctioned the Shandong Jincheng Petrochemical Group, which it said is an independent teapot refinery in Shandong Province that has purchased millions of barrels of Iranian oil since 2023.It also sanctioned China-based Rizhao Shihua Crude Oil Terminal…
Third Russian Tanker from Sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 Discharges and Departs China
A third tanker from Russia's Arctic LNG 2 plant, which is under Western sanctions, discharged its cargo and exited a terminal in China on Wednesday, LSEG and Kpler's ship-tracking data showed.The U.S.-sanctioned LNG tanker Zarya unloaded more than 160,000 cubic meters of LNG from the sanctioned Russian project Arctic LNG 2 at the Beihai LNG Terminal in Guangxi, southern China.China has so far received three cargoes of LNG from Arctic LNG 2, totalling more than 386…
Third Russian Arctic LNG 2 Plant Tanker Arrives in China
A third tanker from Russia's Arctic LNG 2 plant, which is under Western sanctions, has arrived in China, LSEG ship-tracking data showed on Tuesday.The data showed that LNG tanker Zarya is berthed at China's Beihai LNG terminal in the southern region of Guangxi.A first LNG cargo from Arctic LNG 2 was delivered last month to China by the Arctic Mulan tanker, the data showed.The Arctic project began production in December 2023, but is behind schedule in supplying cargoes of gas because of shortages of ice-class gas carriers and Western sanctions over R
Sanctioned Arctic Mulan LNG Tanker Berths in China
A tanker carrying liquefied natural gas from Russia's sanctioned Arctic LNG 2 plant has moored at an import terminal in southern China on Thursday, after loading at a Russian storage facility in June, Kpler and LSEG ship-tracking data showed.If the tanker discharges the LNG at the terminal, this would be the first cargo from the Arctic LNG 2 project to be received. The project is targeted by Western sanctions over Russia's war with Ukraine.The…
Chinese Refiners Purchase 15 Cargoes of Russian Oil, Indian Demand Falls
Chinese refineries have purchased 15 cargoes of Russian oil for October and November delivery as Indian demand for Moscow's exports falls away, two analysts and one trader said on Tuesday.India has emerged as the leading buyer of Russian seaborne oil, which has sold at a discount since some Western nations shunned purchases and imposed restrictions on Russian exports over Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.Indian state refiners paused Russian oil purchases last month, however, as those discounts narrowed. And U.S.
China Ramps Up Refined Fuel Exports As Profit Margins Rise
China's exports of key refined fuels are on track to jump to the highest in 16 months as refiners take advantage of rising profit margins.Shipments in July of middle and light distillates, which include diesel and gasoline, are forecast to reach 26.63 million barrels, or 859,000 barrels per day, data compiled by commodity analysts Kpler shows.This figure is up from 796,000 bpd in June and the highest since the 1.06 million bpd in March 2024…
Russian Yamal LNG Plant Ships First Cargo This Season Via Northern Sea Route
Russia's Yamal LNG plant, operated by Novatek, has dispatched a first cargo of liquefied natural gas this season via the Northern Sea Route to China, Kommersant daily reported on Friday, citing Kpler data.It said the Arc 7 ice-class tanker Georgiy Ushakov left the port of Sabetta on June 19 and has been moving eastward along Russia's Arctic shore.The route, challenging due to thick ice and cold weather during the winter season, gained more importance over the past few years as Europe, once the largest buyer of Russia's fossil fuels, imposed a number
Key China Energy Indicators to Track for the Rest of 2024
Slower consumption in China spurred the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to cut estimates for global oil demand growth this week, highlighting the vital role that the world's second largest economy plays in energy markets.Yet overall electricity generation in China climbed to new highs in the first half of 2024 - indicating robust use by households and factories - and imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) rose 10% to…
Russia Ships Naphtha to China via North Sea Route
Russia is shipping a naphtha cargo via the North Sea Route (NSR) as Moscow seeks to increase supplies using the route to major trade partner China, cutting its way through European waters, traders said and Refinitiv data showed.SCF Irtysh is loaded with with 37,000 tonnes of naphtha onboard, loaded at Ust-Luga port on August 5, 2023, for delivery to China. It is the first such loading since at least the late 2000s, according to two traders.The supplier of the cargo was Gazprom Neft, the traders said.