Russia tops Saudi Arabia as China’s top oil supplier

Russia overtook Saudi Arabia as China’s top crude oil supplier in April, customs data showed, with imports rising 18 per cent from the same month a year earlier as refiners snapped up cheap raw materials amid a price war between the two producers.

Russian shipments reached 7.2 million tonnes last month, equivalent to 1.75 million bpd, according to data from the General Administration of Customs released on Tuesday. That compares with 1.49 million bpd in April 2019 and 1.66 million bpd in March. Supplies from Saudi Arabia fell to 1.26 million bpd, down from 1.53 million bpd in April 2019 and 1.7 million bpd in March.