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China's refinery output at 6-month low as weak fuel demand hurts

China's refinery output fell 3.7% in June from a year previously, official data revealed on Monday, down for a 3rd month amidst organized upkeep, while lower processing margins and drab fuel demand pressed independent plants to cut output.

Refiners processed 58.32 million metric tons of petroleum in June, data from the National Bureau of Stats (NBS) showed, equivalent to 14.19 million barrels daily (bpd), for the year's most affordable levels so far.

Output for the very first six months was 360.09 million tons, or 14.44 million bpd, down 0.4% from the matching period last year, the data showed, for the very first decrease in year-to-date volumes because completion of 2022, according to ' records.

The controlled production shows the broadly sluggish financial healing and refiners' constricting processing earnings, analysts and traders have actually stated.

While a couple of state-run refiners have resumed operations after planned overhauls, functional levels at smaller sized independent processors in the eastern refining hub of Shandong province dipped further in late June to 50.92% of their capability, according to price quotes by Chinese consultancy Oilchem.

That is the most affordable since at least the start of 2023 and down from 61.08% a year earlier, Oilchem information showed.

Smaller plants are truly struggling with very weak margins, as need, particularly diesel, is falling behind expectations, said a Shandong-based petroleum trading manager with an independent refiner.

During January and May, Chinese fuel demand dropped almost 2% on the year, with diesel down 14%, according to commodities consultancy Sublime China Information.

China's economy grew much slower than anticipated in the second quarter, as a lengthy home recession and job insecurity squeezed domestic need. Both commercial output and retail sales slowed in June

NBS information likewise showed China's crude oil production in June. increased 2.4% from a year earlier to 17.95 million loads, or about 4.37 million bpd.

That is the greatest everyday volume because June 2015, ' records showed, an illustration of national oil business' efforts to increase domestic production from offshore fields and much deeper onshore reservoirs to increase supply security.

Year-to-date crude oil output expanded 1.9% on the year to 107.05 million heaps, or 4.29 million bpd.

Natural gas production leapt 9.6% last month from a year earlier to 20.2 billion cubic metres

(source: Reuters)