It　is　essential　to　reveal　the　optimal　structure　of　global　crude　oil　supply　and　demand,　which　has　become　one　of　the　most　important　factors　affecting　every　country＇s　energy　strategy　and　economic　development.　However,　the　existing　crude　oil　supply　and　demand　structure　does　not　function　well.　This　paper　proposes　a　distributed　bipartite　network　to　model　crude　oil　trade.　The　optimal　network　structure,　which　has　the　minimal　total　trade　cost　is　obtained　by　Simulated　Annealing　Algorithm.　The　presented　optimization　model　encompasses　the　framework　of　complex　network　theory　and　crude　oil　trading　issues,　providing　a　good　solution　for　the　crude　oil　trade　system.　Comparing　with　the　pre-optimized　trading　network,　the　proposed　model　can　effectively　reduce　trade　cost.　The　Robustness　Indicator　is　proposed　to　reveal　that　the　major　oil-exporting　countries　choose　their　partners　more　wisely　and　the　trade　relations　are　steadier.　In　the　optimal　distributed　network,　both　the　major　oil-exporting　countries　and　major　oil-importing　countries　play　important　roles　in　distributing　crude　oil　among　the　trading　countries.　Overall,　the　proposed　model　offers　fresh　insights　for　structural　reconstruction　of　crude　oil　supply　and　demand　network　centered　on　the　efficient　usage　of　crude　oil　and　keeping　the　international　oil　trade　running　smoothly.　(C)　2019　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.