Data from Chinese customs showed that Saudi Arabia maintained the lead in oil supplies to China in 2021, as imports from the Kingdom rose 3.1% compared to 2020, and raised its share to 17% of total Chinese imports.
According to data issued by the General Administration of Customs, China bought 87.58 million tons of crude from the Kingdom, equivalent to 1.75 million barrels per day, compared to 84.92 million tons in 2020, when Saudi Arabia acquired a 16% share of the Chinese market.
According to “Reuters”, the increase in the market share of the largest oil exporter in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) came with boosting sales to national refiners and increasing demand from private refiners.
Russia came in second place, widening the gap with Saudi Arabia, as its supplies shrank 4.7% to 79.65 million tons, or 1.59 million barrels per day, under the weight of reduced demand from independent Chinese refiners.
Iraq’s shipments ranked third, and fell 10% during the year to 54.13 million tons, and Brazil fell to seventh place last year, compared to fourth place in 2020, and its supplies shrank 28 percent to 30.28 million tons, as a result of a decrease in demand from independent small companies, and imports rose Oman 18% and Malaysia 50%.