CHINA raised May crude oil output to the highest in more than seven years as the nation's producers strained to meet increased energy demand in the world's fastest-growing major economy.
Production climbed 1.8 percent to 16.18 million metric tons, or about 3.8 million barrels a day, from a year earlier, the China National Bureau of Statistics in Beijing said yesterday, Bloomberg News reported.
Coal output rose 18.5 percent to 230 million tons, while electricity generation increased 12 percent to 293.4 million megawatt-hours. Gas output rose 12 percent to 7.3 billion cubic meters, the Beijing-based China Mainland Marketing Research Co, which compiles data for the statistics bureau, said yesterday.
China is cutting ethylene and other fuel production to boost supply of diesel after the nation's strongest earthquake in 58 years increased demand for the fuel.