SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Crude shipments from Saudi Arabia to China are projected to fall to a record low in May, as rising prices and geopolitical tensions disrupt established trade flows. According to market sources, Saudi Aramco is expected to ship around 20 million barrels to Chinese buyers, equivalent to roughly 645,000 barrels per day—less than half the average monthly volumes recorded in January and February.
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The sharp drop is largely attributed to reduced demand from major refiners such as Sinopec and Rongsheng Petrochemical, which have scaled back purchases amid elevated crude prices. Saudi Arabia recently raised the official selling price of its flagship Arab Light crude to a record premium of $19.50 per barrel above the Oman/Dubai benchmark, making cargoes less attractive to Asian buyers.
At the same time, ongoing tensions near the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted shipping routes, prompting Saudi Arabia to reroute exports via its Red Sea terminal at Yanbu. Although recent attacks temporarily impacted output and pipeline throughput, the Kingdom has since restored full capacity on its East-West Pipeline, stabilizing supply logistics.
