SINGAPORE - Saudi crude oil exports to China will fall in July for a third straight month to about 36 million barrels amid plant maintenance and as some refiners opted for other sources of cheaper oil, several trade sources said on Tuesday.

July exports are down from about 39 million barrels in June, possibly the lowest levels for the year, the sources said.

One state refiner and a private refiner cut nominations for Saudi crude in July versus June, they added.

State oil firm Saudi Aramco could not be immediately reached for comment.

Chinese refiners are cutting imports from Saudi Arabia, the world's top exporter and China's No. 2 supplier, due to high term prices for Saudi crude and weak refining margins, the sources said.

This was despite Saudi Aramco cutting official selling prices for its crude exports in Asia in July for the first time in five months.

Sinopec, Asia's largest refiner and Saudi's biggest customer in China, is keeping the volume little changed in July from the previous month but the volume is the lowest this year, the sources said.

(Reporting by Florence Tan; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Clarence Fernandez)