Refining margins and domestic demand for oil products remain weak
Chinese refiners to feel the squeeze
China’s crude refining throughput is set to decline quarter-on-quarter in Q1 2022, amid mounting pressure from multiple fronts
China’s crude runs slowed in the first two months of this year, particularly in the northeast of the country, where the government’s desire for clean air during the Winter Olympics has led to a pause on emission-intensive industrial activities, including refining. Some refineries—mostly independent operators in the eastern province of Shandong—started to reduce activity in January. Crude runs in Shandong had dipped below two-thirds of provincial capacity by the second half of the month. But the Olympics have forced deeper cuts, with the biggest impact falling on state-owned refineries in the Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei regions, where state-controlled firms CNPC, Sinopec and Cnooc operate clos
Also in this section
2 June 2025
It is time to acknowledge that the US-Saudi Arabia nexus is driving a fundamental shift in OPEC strategy
2 June 2025
More than anything else, weak Chinese gas demand is providing relief to EU consumers, but it is uncertain how long this relief will last
30 May 2025
Energy majors argue transition debate has started to factor in the complexities of demand shifts and the wider role for gas
29 May 2025
Sovereignty is the watchword for the new government, but there are still upstream opportunities for those willing to work closely with the state
