China’s oil demand jumps 16.6%

China’s apparent oil demand in February soared by 16.6% from a year earlier to 8.49 million barrels per day (bpd) as domestic refiners ramped up their daily crude throughput to an all-time high during the month, according to recent figures released by the Chinese government. February also marked the sixth straight month that the world’s second-largest oil consumer posted double-digit yearly growth in oil demand. Average petroleum demand for the first two months of 2010 was up 17.75% from the corresponding period of 2009 to 8.1 million bpd. (March 19, 2010)