China’s oil refining rose for the second consecutive month in Mordad, supported by strong fuel export demand after Beijing eased export restrictions in Tir.

Based on data from China’s National Bureau of Statistics, the country refined 59 million and 70 thousand tons of crude oil in Mordad, equivalent to 13 million and 910 thousand barrels per day. The figure was 11.2% higher than Tir but 6.9% lower than last year.

High oil prices during the war with the Islamic Republic, along with limits on fuel exports, have reduced China’s oil consumption and had brought refining in Khordad back to levels seen during the COVID-19 period.

According to Reuters, 639 thousand barrels per day were drawn from China’s reserves in Mordad, the second-largest figure since the start of the war.