China overtook the US as the world’s biggest importer of crude oil in April, the culmination of a seismic shift in global energy flows over the past decade.China oil imports surpass those of US for first time
Chinese customs data showed crude oil purchases from overseas hit a new high of 7.4m barrels a day in April, equivalent to roughly one in every 13 barrels consumed globally and topping US imports of 7.2m b/d. The US routinely exports about 500,000 b/d.
While China’s imports are not expected to consistently surpass those of the US until the second half of this year, the move illustrates how the US shale revolution has cut the country’s reliance on oil from overseas — and how China’s demand has grown even as its economy slows.
Colin Fenton, managing partner at Blacklight Research, said China’s imports increased as it stockpiled oil. “It’s begun,” Mr Fenton said. “China’s crude imports have been above trend in four of the past five months.”...MUCH MORE
And from Reuters:
China crude imports to pick up as storage, buyers emerge
