More SPR releases may follow
China flexes SPR in oil market show of force
China’s upcoming release of crude from its strategic petroleum reserve may signal more measured buying ahead for the world’s top importer
China’s National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration (NFSRA)—which manages the country’s strategic material reserves—announced last week that it will release 7.38mn bl from its strategic petroleum reserve (SPR). The barrels will be auctioned off to a select few state-owned oil companies and integrated independent refineries in phases, with the first taking place on 24 September. The barrels for auction include Qatar Marine, Forties, Oman, Murban and Upper Zakum in five lots, and were put into storage at Dalian in northeastern China last year. The barrels are required to be used as feedstock for petrochemical production and can be consumed only by the buyer. 7.38mn bl – SPR relea
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
