where does china get most of its oil
China gets most of its oil from imports, with Russia currently the single largest supplier, followed by countries in the Middle East such as Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Big picture
China is the world’s largest crude oil importer, bringing in roughly 11 million barrels per day in recent years to meet demand. Domestic production covers only a minority of its needs, so import dependence has steadily increased over the past decade.
Main suppliers
Public energy and trade data show a clear hierarchy of where China gets most of its oil:
- Russia – Now China’s biggest single crude supplier, providing around a fifth or more of its total crude imports after sanctions redirected discounted Russian barrels toward Asia. Much of this flows via pipelines (e.g., ESPO) and seaborne cargoes from Pacific ports.
- Saudi Arabia – A leading Middle Eastern supplier and long‑term strategic partner, historically competing with Russia for the top spot in China’s import mix.
- Iraq – A major source of medium and heavy grades, important for China’s large state and independent refineries.
- United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman – Additional Gulf exporters that collectively make the Middle East one of China’s dominant supply regions.
- Brazil and other Latin American producers – Provide significant volumes of seaborne crude, often heavier grades that suit Chinese refining capacity.
- Iran and Venezuela (sanctioned barrels) – Supplied at discounts, often routed through intermediaries and sometimes reported under other origins, but widely understood to be an important marginal source for independent “teapot” refiners.
Domestic production vs imports
China does produce oil at home, but not enough to meet demand.
- Domestic output from fields like Daqing and offshore projects has plateaued or declined, despite enhanced recovery and new investments.
- As a result, import dependence has hovered around or above 70% of total oil consumption in recent years.
Recent and “latest news” angle
Recent coverage of China’s crude market highlights several trends:
- Import volumes remain high, around 11.1 million barrels per day in 2024, with Russia supplying roughly a fifth of those imports.
- Beijing manages inflows through a quota system for non‑state refiners, which continues into 2026 with total crude import quotas for private players around 257 million tons, similar to the previous year.
- Independent “teapot” refiners tend to favor discounted Russian, Iranian and Venezuelan grades, while state majors maintain long‑term contracts with Gulf suppliers like Saudi Arabia.
Forum / discussion takeaways
In online discussions about “where does China get most of its oil” , several viewpoints usually emerge:
- Some emphasize strategic vulnerability: heavy reliance on seaborne imports through chokepoints like the Strait of Malacca, and on politically sensitive suppliers such as Russia and Gulf states.
- Others stress diversification: China actively spreads its sourcing across Russia, the Middle East, Latin America, and sanctioned producers, while also investing in storage, pipelines, and overseas oilfields to reduce risk.
- A growing angle links this to the energy transition: as EV adoption and renewables rise, analysts debate whether China’s oil demand is near a peak, which would gradually change how crucial these import streams remain.
TL;DR: Most of China’s oil comes from imported crude, with Russia as the largest single supplier and the Middle East (especially Saudi Arabia and Iraq) providing much of the rest.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.