Kuwait crude oil exports to China jumped 15.4%

Kuwait's crude oil exports to China in the first half of 2012 reached 5.42 million tons, equivalent to around 218,000 barrels per day (bpd), which is up 15.4 percent from the same period of 2011, the latest government data showed. Kuwaiti share of Chinese crude oil imports in the January-June period stood at 2.5 percent, according to the Chinese General Administration of Customs. In June alone, Kuwait's shipments to the world's second-biggest energy consumer fell 26.1 percent on the year to 134,000 bpd. China's overall imports of crude oil in June rose 10.3 percent from a year earlier to 5.31 million bpd. Saudi Arabia remained China's top supplier with its shipments jumping 26.1 percent to 1.20 million bpd, followed by Angola with 920,000 bpd, up 89.8 percent. Iran became third with imports from the country shrinking 2.1 percent to 2.60 million tons (635,000 bpd), although it posted a 17.3 percent growth from May's 2.22 million tons (529,000 bpd).