New satellite images by Google Images reveals that China may have stored more oil than its official estimates . Oil kept in storage was around 600 million barrels as of early this year , according to Orbital Insight . However , there were about 2,100 strategic and commercial petroleum reserve tanks capable of storing 900 million barrels as of the end of 2014 , according to the images , and these do not include underground caverns . These estimates are helping to shine a light on oil reserves that have puzzled commodities traders globally . This new findings are also the latest example of how private technology companies are using big data and machine learning to better understand China , where official data is often incomplete and private companies have disappeared without explanation .
New satellite images by Orbital Insight reveals that China may have stored more oil than its official estimates. Oil kept in storage was around 600 million barrels as of May this year, according to Orbital Insight. However, there were about 2,100 strategic and commercial petroleum reserve tanks capable of storing 900 million barrels as of the end of 2014, according to the images, and these do not include underground caverns. These estimates are helping to shed a light on oil reserves that have puzzled commodities traders globally. This new findings are also the latest example of how private technology firms are using big data and machine learning to better understand China, where official data is often incomplete and private gauges have disappeared without explanation.