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Gulf Crude Producers Expand China Market Share Amid Shifting Flows

A Vortexa report indicates that Gulf crude producers, led by Saudi Arabia and Iraq, are expanding market share in China. Non-Iranian Middle Eastern crude deliveries are projected to hit 4.5 million barrels per day in October 2026. Saudi exports are estimated to surpass 2 million barrels per day, largely taken by state refiners.

Published Source: Vortexa Analysis
Illustration: A large crude oil tanker navigating near an industrial coastal oil terminal with storage tanks and pipeline infrastructure under clear d
Illustration

According to an energy analytics report published by Vortexa on October 20, 2026, Gulf crude producers, led by Saudi Arabia and Iraq, are securing expanded market share in China.

The report projected that non-Iranian Middle Eastern crude arrivals into China will reach approximately 4.5 million barrels per day in October 2026. Monthly crude deliveries from Saudi Arabia are estimated to exceed 2 million barrels per day, marking an increase from the 2025 average of 1.6 million barrels per day.

Vortexa stated that Chinese state-owned refiners Sinopec and PetroChina are acquiring approximately 75 percent of these Saudi crude volumes. In addition, Iraqi crude shipments to China are tracking at roughly 1.1 million barrels per day, supplying teapot refiners located in Shandong.

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