Oil imports to China in February rose by 20 per cent in annual terms and reached a record volume for all time of observations. About it reports Reuters with a reference to the data of customs statistics. By the end of the month first place among oil exporters in the PRC has occupied Saudi Arabia, the second — Angola, the third — Russia.
Delivery of Saudi Arabia in China has 1.38 million barrels a day. This is slightly less than the absolute record, which was recorded in February 2012 at the level of 1.39 million barrels a day.
Russian exports to China increased almost 48 percent to 1.03 million barrels per day. The last time Moscow went around Riyadh on the supply in the PRC in December 2015. Then the average daily imports from Russia amounted to 949,9 thousand barrels, Saudi exports to 886.9 thousand barrels.
According to Reuters, this year Russia will be able to further reduce the gap with the Arabian monarchy, if you will take advantage of growing demand from oil refineries, which consume a daily 1.8 million barrels. This is equivalent to about 20 percent of imports.
Also in February, Iran has increased oil supplies to China in percentage as compared with last year, as a result, its exports amounted to 538 thousand barrels per day. Major Asian oil refining company Sinopec and state oil trader Zhuhai Zhenrong signed with Iran the contract for delivery in 2016 505 thousand barrels per day.
On January 17, the US and EU lifted sanctions on Iran. Tehran and “six” of international mediators (the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France, Germany) have agreed on the nuclear programme of the Islamic Republic. She pledged to turn the plant for uranium enrichment at Fordow in the technology center, and the reactor in Arak to rebuild in accordance with the project of an international consortium. Spent fuel from it will be exported outside the country. After that, Iran announced its intention to increase exports by a million barrels a day.
