China Reports July Energy Output as Coal Output Falls and Oil Rebounds

In July, China's energy production among major industrial enterprises showed diverging trends amid peak summer demand, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics. Raw coal output declined 10.1% year-on-year to 340 million tonnes, while crude oil production rebounded to grow 0.8% after a prior contraction, reaching 18.27 million tonnes. Total power generation remained largely stable at 943.9 billion kilowatt-hours, slipping 0.1% from a year earlier, while cumulative electricity output for the first seven months of the year rose 3.0%.

July is a critical period for China's peak summer energy supply, during which industrial production and seasonal cooling drive high electricity demand. The latest figures provide insight into domestic resource extraction, refinery activity, and thermal fuel requirements during the height of the summer load.

China's industrial energy production presented diverging trajectories across primary fuels in July, according to figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics. Raw coal production among industrial enterprises above designated size fell 10.1% year-on-year in July to 340 million tonnes, averaging a daily output of 11.07 million tonnes. For the first seven months of the year, cumulative raw coal output reached 2.70 billion tonnes, representing a 2.9% contraction compared to the same period in the prior year. In contrast, crude oil production returned to growth. Output from large industrial producers rose 0.8% year-on-year in July to 18.27 million tonnes, reversing a 0.5% contraction recorded in June. Daily crude production averaged 589,000 tonnes. From January to July, total domestic crude oil output reached 127.69 million tonnes, an increase of 0.9% year-on-year. Crude oil refining activity continued to contract, though at a moderated pace. Refineries processed 53.11 million tonnes of crude oil in July, down 15.8% year-on-year, narrowing by 1.9 percentage points from the decline seen in June. Average daily processing volume stood at 1.713 million tonnes. Cumulative crude processing over the first seven months reached 396.96 million tonnes, down 6.5% from a year earlier. Natural gas production remained generally stable during the month. Industrial output reached 21.4 billion cubic meters in July, down 0.9% year-on-year, with daily production averaging 690 million cubic meters. Across the January–July period, natural gas production expanded 1.2% year-on-year to 154.3 billion cubic meters. Electricity generation remained largely steady during the peak summer month. Large industrial power producers generated 943.9 billion kilowatt-hours in July, representing a slight decline of 0.1% year-on-year, with daily generation averaging 30.45 billion kilowatt-hours. For the first seven months of the year, cumulative power generation rose 3.0% to 5,698.5 billion kilowatt-hours.