Russian barrels continue to impact Iranian trade
The sanctioned countries are competing in a limited illicit market
Iranian crude and condensate exports have slowed this year amid stiff competition from sanctioned Russian barrels for both Chinese market share and access to those tankers willing to transport the illicit cargoes. Iran exported an average of 880,000bl/d in the second quarter, down from 980,000bl/d in the first three months of the year, according to data from cargo-tracking analytics firm Vortexa. Exports have declined in recent months, but logged a partial rebound in August to back up to more than 800,000bl/d. China remains the largest single buyer of Iranian crude, but the Middle Eastern country has seen its market share eroded by Russia. China imported an average of 500,000bl/d of crude fr

Also in this section
20 June 2025
The scale of energy demand growth by 2030 and beyond asks huge questions of gas supply especially in the US
20 June 2025
The Emirati company is ramping up its overseas expansion programme, taking it into new geographic areas that challenge long-held assumptions about Gulf NOCs
19 June 2025
Geopolitical uncertainty casts a pall over expectations around demand, supply, investment and spare capacity
19 June 2025
Shifting demand patterns leaves most populous nation primed to become downstream leader as China and the West retreat