Cambodia's Oil Imports: Sources and Supply Chains

Cambodia imports virtually all its petroleum products—it has no commercial oil production or refining capacity. The supply chain relies on regional refiners and traders, with Southeast Asian neighbors dominating the market.

Major Supply Sources (2022-2023 Data)

Supply Chain Structure

• No direct crude imports — Cambodia lacks refineries
• Product imports: Gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, LPG, fuel oil
• Key importers: Sokimex, Tela, PTT (Thai), TotalEnergies (MNC), Caltex (Chevron), Gulf, local distributors
• Entry points: Sihanoukville Port (main), Phnom Penh Port (river), overland from Vietnam/Thailand
• Storage: Limited strategic reserves (~2-3 weeks national consumption)

Developments

• Cambodia's first refinery: Proposed $2B+ project (Sihanoukville) — feasibility stage
• Strategic reserve mandate: 2022 sub-decree requires 30-day stockpile
• Energy transition: Growing EV adoption, solar may reduce long-term oil demand

Vulnerabilities

• 100% import dependence = price shock exposure
• Single port (Sihanoukville) concentration risk
• No strategic petroleum reserve (unlike IEA members)
• Currency risk (USD-denominated oil, KHR/USD volatility)

Cambodia's oil security rests on Southeast Asian refining integration—Singapore's dominance reflects its unmatched refining-trading-logistics ecosystem. Diversification (Vietnam, China) is slowly reducing that concentration.