Oil Demand: Chinese Refiners buying more oil

[dan_s]

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/busine ... 056094.php

Summary:
A sudden oil buying spree by China’s independent refiners has taken Asian traders by surprise. After weeks of production cuts, cargo deferrals and cancellations because of the deepening impact of coronavirus on Chinese crude demand, companies including Shandong Shouguang Luqing Petrochemical Co., Shandong Huifeng Petroleum Chemical Co. and Sinochem Hongrun Petrochemical Co. have returned to the market in a big way. They’re all non-state-owned refiners, known as teapots, from the eastern province of Shandong. Until recently, this corner of the industry appeared to be doing everything to avoid buying crude including cutting processing rates. But then Luqing snapped up as many as seven cargoes from Russia, Angola and Gabon for March and April, while Sinochem Hongrun bought a shipment from Gabon and Huifeng was also looking for spot cargoes, according to traders with knowledge of the market. The spree is probably a sign that the refiners known as teapots are getting ready for an eventual rebound in demand, taking advantage of the slump in crude prices to buy cheaply, according to the people. The timing of a recovery in China’s oil demand, which by some estimates has been reduced by 20% because of the virus, is the subject of great speculation in the market because getting it right could be very profitable.