According to customs data released today, Tuesday (20), by China, Brazil has surpassed Saudi Arabia and assumed the second position in the ranking of China's largest crude oil suppliers in the first nine months of 2026. Between January and September, the Chinese market imported 44.29 million tonnes of Brazilian product, surpassing the 43.12 million tonnes purchased from Saudi Arabia. Russia remains at the top of the ranking.
The reason for the change in classification was the performance of exports recorded in September. In this month alone, Chinese imports of Brazilian crude oil reached 5.15 million tonnes, or approximately 1.25 million barrels per day, which represents an 18% increase compared to the same period of the previous year. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia's purchases fell significantly by 62% in the year-on-year comparison, totaling 2.70 million tonnes.
The new scenario among suppliers reflects Beijing's strategy to diversify its long-term supply sources. The advance in exports accompanies the expansion of Chinese state-owned companies' presence in the Brazilian oil industry. The released data also point out that in September, there was no import of crude oil from the United States, Venezuela, or Iran.
