China expected to become gasoline exporter again

BEIJING, Sept. 10 (Xinhua) China may become a gasoline exporter in the near future after it turned a net gasoline importer this May. brThe country's two state oil refiners, Sinopec and CNPC, plan to import merely a small amount of oil products in September, as domestic supply has stabilized after the Beijing Olympic Games concluded and oil product inventories are building up. brIn September, Sinopec, the country's largest refiner, plans to import about 100,000 tons of gasoline, while rival CNPC will import none. brSinopec officials say the September plan was actually a drop of 82. 15 per cent drop as compared to August import. brThat signals the peak of the country's oil product import has passed and the country is expected to re-emerge as a gasoline exporter. brMost of imported gasoline will flow to south China market, with a small sum to be shipped to east China market, according to Sinopec. brCNPC, however, may resume gasoline export in September, after stopping doing so for 13 months. The company's interim plan was to export 60,000 tons of gasoline. brIf the two both honored their plans, the country's net gasoline import will be at 40,000 tons in September and the sum is expected to fall further as ample domestic supply is quiet likely to sustain. brCustoms data shows that China exported 160,000 tons of gasoline while imported 338,000 tons of gasoline in September, ending its long history of a gasoline exporter and becoming a net gasoline importer.