The key facts
- Brazil moved into second place in oil supplies to China: 44.3 million tonnes for January–September 2026
- Saudi Arabia dropped to third place — 43.12 million tonnes, down 27.6% year on year
- Russia retains the lead: 87.6 million tonnes over nine months, up 18.3% year on year
Brazil Overtakes Saudi Arabia in the Chinese Oil Market
Brazil has become the second-largest oil exporter to China after Russia, overtaking Saudi Arabia. Over the first nine months of 2026, the Latin American country shipped 44.3 million tonnes of crude to Chinese buyers, Interfax reports citing data from the General Administration of Customs of China. Saudi Arabia supplied 43.12 million tonnes to China over the same period, cutting its exports by 27.6% compared with the same period of 2025.
Growth in Brazilian Supplies in September
The growth in Brazilian supplies was especially noticeable in September: the daily average reached 1.25 million barrels, almost 42% higher than the August figure. In year-on-year terms, September exports rose by more than 20%.
Russia Retains the Lead
Russia's position remains significantly stronger: over the first three quarters, Russian companies supplied almost 87.6 million tonnes of oil to China — 18.3% more than a year earlier and nearly twice Brazil's result. In September, supplies from Russia averaged 2.42 million barrels per day: 8.5% below the August level but 20% higher than in September 2025. Beijing spent $6.59 billion on Russian oil purchases over the month.
Context of Purchases
According to Life.ru, Chinese refineries increased purchases of Russian ESPO grade oil as early as September amid supply disruptions from the Middle East; due to high demand, the premium on this grade doubled within a week. At the same time, Chinese companies began seeking additional volumes in Brazil, Canada, Iraq and West Africa.
