Dec refinery throughput 14.1 mln bpd, 2nd highest in 2022
2022 refinery output down 3.4; previous annual decline in 2001
2022 natgas output up 6.4 to record 217.8 bcm
2022 crude oil output up 2.9, averaged 4.1 mln bpd

SINGAPORE, Jan 17 Reuters China39;s oil refinery throughput in 2022 fell 3.4 from a year earlier, its first annual decline since 2001, as China39;s rigid COVID19 controls took a toll on the economy and fuel consumption.

Refiners processed 675.9 million tonnes of crude oil last year, data from the National Bureau of Statistics NBS showed on Tuesday, or about 13.5 million barrels per day bpd. In 2001 processing slipped 0.3 from the prior year, NBS records showed.

Crude throughput in December rose 2.5 from the same month a year earlier to 59.88 million tonnes, the NBS reported, or 14.1 million bpd, the secondhighest amount of 2022 on a daily basis as refiners ramped up production to use up fuel export quotas.

This is just down from 14.5 million bpd in November and the record of 14.8 million bpd in June 2021.

Following eight months of consecutive yearonyear declines between January and August, refinery processing began a rebound in September as the government shifted its fuel trade policy by issuing a large set of quotas to spur exports.

Fourthquarter refined fuel exports, including diesel, gasoline, aviation fuel and marine fuel oil, surged 61 over a yearago period to 18.3 million tonnes.

The startup of PetroChina39;s new 200,000bpd crude unit in…