Sinopec Qingdao Refining and Chemical Company’s refinery in Qingdao, Shandong
Competition heating up for Chinese refiners
Slowing demand growth and capacity expansions will squeeze refiners in coming years
China’s crude oil throughput continued to set record highs in the first quarter of 2024, as refiners ramped up operations to meet holiday demand in February and March. But lower growth in March supports the view that throughput will expand more gradually this year. A slower increase in refinery runs will lead to pressure on refining and marketing margins for China’s three NOCs—which account for three-quarters of refined oil product output—and could potentially drag on oil import growth. Crude oil processing in the world’s second-largest oil consumer reached 182.46mt in Q1, equivalent to 14.7m b/d, according to government data. The volume was up by 2.4% year-on-year and 0.5% higher than the 1
Also in this section
10 March 2026
Eni’s director for global gas and LNG portfolio, Cristian Signoretto, discusses how demand will respond to rising LNG supply, and how the company is expanding its own gas and LNG operations through disciplined, capital-efficient investments
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
9 March 2026
Energy sanctions are becoming an increasingly prominent tool of US foreign policy, with the country’s growth in oil and gas production allowing it to impose pressure on rivals without jeopardising its own energy security or that of its allies, argues Matthew McManus, a visiting fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics
6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
