*China imported 12.12mn b/d of crude and condensate in July, a figure second only to June’s record 13.00mn b/d (MEES, 31 July). Average volumes for the first seven months of 2020, at 11.01mn b/d, are up 12% year on year despite the Covid-19 pandemic as Beijing has taken advantage of lower crude prices to fill strategic storage.
*But whereas China took a record 2.16mn b/d from Saudi Arabia in June, for July the kingdom slipped to third place with just 1.26mn b/d, behind both Russia on 1.75mn b/d and Iraq’s 1.37mn b/d. (CONTINUED - 187 WORDS)
