'Significant Shrinking' in Crude Cushion In Coming Months

By Lori Ann LaRocco – New energy data shows the crude cushion that has been built up will be shrinking in the next 2-3 months unless geopolitics improve.

In a webinar, Vortexa explained, with Atlantic Basin inflows already slowing and China drawing inventories at up to ~1 mb/d, they see a high risk of significant tightening within the next 2–3 months and estimate that China’s extra crude buffer built since 2025 could be largely worked down within about four months if current draw rates persist.

“Everything looks very well supplied, but there is simply no warranty that it will happen in