China Exports Record Jet Fuel Supplies as Refiners Produce More

China Exports Record Jet Fuel

China exported a record volume of jet fuel last month as refiners in the world’s largest energy consumer boosted production.

Overseas sales of jet-kerosene rose to 1.01 million metric tons in August, according to data e-mailed by the General Administration of Customs in Beijing today. That’s about 260,000 barrels a day.Gasoline exports increased to 487,380 tons, the highest level in a year, while diesel shipments gained 21 percent from July to 407,800 tons.

“Chinese refineries have been raising jet fuel output since last year as profit margins are better than for diesel,” Liang Dan, an analyst at ICIS-C1 Energy, a Shanghai-based consultant, said by phone from Guangzhou. “Shipment of the fuel will probably remain at high levels after CNOOC’s Huizhou refinery recently obtained a new license to export.”

China’s kerosene output climbed 19 percent from a year earlier to 2.7 million tons in August, data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed on Sept. 16. China National Offshore Oil Corp. said it shipped its first oil-product cargo from the Huizhou plant in the nation’s south on Sept. 5, delivering 12,000 tons of jet fuel to Hong Kong’s airport.

Imports of fuel oil, used as a refinery feedstock and to power ships, expanded 24 percent from a year earlier to 1.45 million tons in August, the highest in four months, according to today’s data. Purchases in July were 1.04 million, the least since at least 2003.

China bought 135,580 tons of fuel oil from Iran in August, its first shipments since January.Venezuela was the largest supplier last month with 405,986 tons of shipments, followed by South Korea with 197,429 tons.