Battlefield China in Russo-Saudi tussle
Russia and Saudi Arabia have largely buried, rather than settled, their issues. China is a microcosm of the ongoing tension
Saudi Arabia may have, albeit at very painful cost, re-established itself as top dog in global energy geopolitics. But its naked rivalry with Russia is just on the backburner—as all producers try to deal with the fallout from Covid-19—rather than permanently put to bed. The two heavyweights’ informal market-share competition continues, and the competition in China is perhaps its best example. While Riyadh managed to sell a record 2.16mn bl/d to Beijing in May (an increase of 95pc year-on-year and 71pc month-on-month), beating Moscow to the title of top supplier to the world’s largest oil and gas importer, few believe the race is over. Russia typically relies on pipelines and fixed long-term
Also in this section
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic
