OIES – Crude Oil Production in China: Explaining the Surge, Aug 2025
The main theme of the report is the sharp increase in oil production in China after 2019.
Key findings include a significant rise in China's oil production following a decline in 2016. During the 2010s, oil production was dependent on international oil prices, but since 2019, it has become less sensitive to prices and more focused on government efforts to ensure energy security. In 2024, for the first time in over 40 years, China's oil imports decreased but stabilized in the first half of 2025. Major oil-producing regions in China account for about 85% of annual oil production. Growth is observed in offshore regions (Bohai and the South China Sea) and in the Ordos Basin and Xinjiang, offsetting declines in older fields such as the Songliao Basin and Shengli field.
