New energy data indicates a significant reduction in the crude cushion built up over the past few months, with a high risk of tightening within the next 2-3 months unless geopolitical tensions improve.
According to Vortexa, Atlantic Basin inflows have already begun to slow, while China is drawing down inventories at a rate of up to 1 million barrels per day. As a result, the company estimates that China's extra crude buffer built up since 2025 could be largely depleted within four months if current draw rates persist.