The move removes the only public source of information on Chinese crude and fuel stockpiles, key information for oil traders trying to assess the real level of demand in China, the world's second-biggest oil consumer.


"China OGP will halt the release of China's crude oil, gasoline and diesel stockpiles held by CNPC and Sinopec Group because these figures are no longer available," a brief note at the start of the biweekly newsletter said.

It did not explain further or say if it had been ordered to withhold the information or whether the publication of the data might resume in future.