BEIJING, Aug 15 Reuters China39;s oil refinery throughput in July rose 17.4 from a year earlier, data showed on Tuesday, as refiners kept output elevated to meet demand for domestic summer travel and to cash in on high regional profit margins by exporting fuel.

Total refinery throughput in the world39;s secondlargest oil consumer was 63.13 million metric tons last month, data from the National Bureau of Statistics NBS showed.

July39;s production was the equivalent of 14.87 million barrels per day bpd, up from a low base of 12.5 million bpd a year earlier when refiners cut back runs as the country faced extensive COVID19 lockdowns.

The throughput rate was the thirdhighest ever, according to Reuters39; records of the NBS data, only marginally below the record of 14.90 million bpd in March.

Production was up slightly from the 14.83 million bpd of oil processed in June.

Stateowned refineries raised their processing rates in July to an average of 7882, up 23 percentage points from June, according to data from consultancy Zhuochuang.

Domestic fuel demand has picked up with the arrival of the summer travel season, notably in gasoline and jet fuel. Domestic gasoline inventories fell around 3 between midJune and midJuly, according to data from Chinabased consultancy Longzhong.

Chinese refiners have also capitalised on strong fuel profit margins in the region, with refined fuel product exports in July rising 55.8 from a year earlier, according to customs data released last…