Oil consumption worldwide reached approximately 100.2 million barrels per day in 2023. This was an increase of around three percent in comparison to the previous year, when global oil consumption experienced a drop as a result of the pandemic-enforced mobility restrictions which, in turn, led to a decline in transportation fuel demand. Apart from the years of the financial crisis and the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, oil consumption consecutively increased in every year since 1998. Oil demand by region As a region, Asia-Pacific has the highest demand for oil in the world, followed closely by the Americas. The United States alone contributes strongly to this high regional demand in the Americas, as it is the country with the largest petroleum consumption in the world. Oil is mainly used as a raw material for motor fuels or as a feedstock in the chemicals industry for products ranging from adhesives to plastics. It has historically also been used as a source for electricity and heat generation, although to a lesser extent than other fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas. Where is oil produced? Though the U.S. holds only around four percent of proved oil reserves, it currently accounts for the greatest share of global crude oil production, surpassing countries with far larger oil reserves such as Saudi Arabia. With the expansion of the shale oil industry through new methods of extraction like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling, the United States has become less dependent on oil imports as domestic production has drastically increased.

The global demand for crude oil (including biofuels) in 2023 amounted to 102.21 million barrels per day. The source expects economic activity and related oil demand to pick up by the end of the year, with forecast suggesting it could increase to more than 104 million barrels per day.

Motor fuels make up majority of oil demand

Oil is an important and versatile substance, used in different ways and in different forms for many applications. The road sector is the largest oil consuming sector worldwide. It accounts for nearly one half of the global demand for oil, largely due to reliance on motor spirits made from petroleum. The OPEC projects global oil product demand to reach 110 million barrels per day by 2045, with transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel expected to remain the most consumed products. Diesel and gasoil demand is forecast to amount to 30.1 million barrels per day in 2045, up from 27.6 million barrels in 2021. Gasoline demand is forecast at 27.6 million barrels by 2045.

Beyond oil - efforts made by an industry looking to cut carbon intensity

Despite oil producing bodies such as the OPEC seeing continued importance for crude oil in the future, efforts have been made within the energy industry in finding an alternative to the fossil fuel. One such alternative generating great enthusiasm is hydrogen. The most abundant chemical element in the universe has become of particular interest due to its potential as an energy carrier. Similar to oil, it may serve as a feedstock or main ingredient for transportation fuels, energy generation and storage, and also chemicals production. While today it is mainly won from natural gas conversion (so-called grey hydrogen), most investments are aimed at making hydrogen production through electrolysis using renewable electricity (green hydrogen) more cost efficient. Oil refineries and ammonia production facilities are main consumers of hydrogen, with the transportation sector accounting for a much lesser share.

This statistic shows the daily oil consumption worldwide from 1980 to 2008, with forecasted figures for 2015 and 2030. In 2008, global oil consumption amounted to 85 million barrels a day. It is forecasted that the global consumption of oil will amount to some 105 million barrels per day in 2030.

Key information about United States Oil Consumption

• United States Oil Consumption was reported at 18,983.557 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records an increase from the previous number of 18,862.210 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• US Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 17,634.400 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 20,531.482 Barrel/Day th in 2005 and a record low of 11,512.436 Barrel/Day th in 1965
• US Oil Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by BP PLC
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Energy Sector – Table RB.BP.OIL: Oil: Consumption

The consumption of oil has steadily increased over the last three decades, totaling 4.53 billion metric tons in 2023, compared to 4.42 billion metric tons consumed the previous year. The only decline during this period was observed around the 2008-2009 financial crisis and around the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Regional oil consumption The United States and China are the countries with the highest oil consumption. Overall, oil consumption worldwide reached a new high in 2023, when it exceeded 4.5 billion metric tons for the first time. However, this growth in consumption was the highest in Asia Pacific, where figures went up by some 5.3 percent. In the United States, high consumption levels were held up by demand for petrochemicals as well as increased industrial production and demand for transportation by trucks. What is crude oil? Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons from plant animal life that was formed under immense pressure. It generally exists in liquid form and can be found in underground pools or reservoirs, in small spaces within sedimentary rocks, and near the Earth’s surface as a tar (also known as oil sands). In turn, crude oil and other hydrocarbons in natural gases are refined to form petroleum products such as gasoline and jet fuel.

Projected oil demand in Asia-Pacific is the highest in the world, at 36.7 million barrels daily in 2020, followed closely by the Americas. Overall global oil consumption is expected to increase in 2020 and has been rising steadily throughout the past two decades.

Countries with high consumption

The United States consumes the most petroleum of any country in the world, and is the driving factor behind the Americas ranking as the region with second-highest petroleum consumption. Brazil and Canada are also among the ten largest petroleum consumers, but on a much smaller scale than the United States. China is the second-largest consumer in the world, followed by India and Japan, making Asia-Pacific the highest consuming region overall.

Largest oil importers

Though Europe consumes about half as much oil as Asia-Pacific or the Americas, the region is the largest importer of oil worldwide. As resources in the North Sea have depleted, oil production in the European Union has declined significantly over the past two decades. Among E.U. countries, Germany has the highest oil consumption.

The average for 2014 based on 192 countries was 485.24 thousand barrels per day. The highest value was in the USA: 19106 thousand barrels per day and the lowest value was in Kiribati: 0.4 thousand barrels per day. The indicator is available from 1980 to 2014. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

Balance OPEC crude oil production Difference a b Global oil demand, supply, oil market balance and required amounts of OPEC crude nbsp World oil Demand World oil demand growth in 2018 was revised downward by around 20 tb d, primarily as a result of the slower than expected performance by non OECD Latin America and the Middle East during 2Q18 Hence, world oil demand growth is now pegged at 1 62 mb d, with total global consumption at 98 82 mb d World Oil SupplyNon OPEC oil supply in 2018 was revised down by 0 06 mb d from the previous MOMR to average 59 56 mb d, mainly due to a downward adjustment in the supply forecast for Brazil, the UK, India, Malaysia and China on lower than expected output in 2H18, which was partially offset by an upward revision in US supply Y o y growth was also revised down by 0 06 mb d to now stand at 2 02 mb d The US, Brazil, Canada, Kazakhstan and the UK are expected to be the main drivers for y o y growth, while Mexico and Norway will show the largest declines nbsp World EconomyGlobal economic growth forecasts remain robust for 2018 and 2019, at 3 8 and 3 6 , respectively While the growth levels are unchanged from last month, a number of offsetting developments, particularly rising challenges in some emerging and developing economies, are skewing the current global economic growth risk forecast to the downside Rising trade tensions, and the consequences of further potential monetary tightening by G4 central banks, in combination with rising global debt levels, are additional concerns

Forecast: Average Daily Crude Oil Consumption in China 2022 - 2026 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Key information about Iran Oil Consumption

• Iran Oil Consumption was reported at 1,816.840 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,853.006 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• Iran Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 1,210.598 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 1,890.251 Barrel/Day th in 2013 and a record low of 139.289 Barrel/Day th in 1965
• Iran Oil Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by BP PLC
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Energy Sector – Table RB.BP.OIL: Oil: Consumption

Daily oil demand declined across all major oil consuming regions in February 2020 and fell to a low in April 2020, the following months are expected to see a slow recovery. In June 2020, oil demand is expected to amount to 20 million barrels per day in North America.

Key information about India Oil Consumption

• India Oil Consumption was reported at 5,446.103 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records an increase from the previous number of 5,208.699 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• India Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 1,416.726 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 5,446.103 Barrel/Day th in 2023 and a record low of 252.234 Barrel/Day th in 1965
• India Oil Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by BP PLC
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Energy Sector – Table RB.BP.OIL: Oil: Consumption

Road transportation is the greatest oil demanding sector in OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) member states. In 2023, 49.02 percent of all oil consumed in the OECD was related to motor vehicle usage. By comparison, the petrochemical sector which manufactures plastics, resins, and other petroleum-based products, only made up about an eighth of total demand. U.S. and China by far largest consumers The United States and China are the greatest oil consumers worldwide by a wide margin. In 2023, daily oil consumption in these countries amounted to 19 million barrels and 16.6 million barrels, respectively. Daily global crude oil demand, including biofuels, reached 102.21 million barrels in 2023, up from 99.57 million barrels in 2022. The future road sector Oil is used in numerous manufacturing processes and still accounts for a large chunk of primary energy supply worldwide. It is largely used to produce transportation fuels such as gasoline, diesel, and kerosene. As such, demand is also shaped by a growth or decline in internal-combustion engine vehicle usage and overall economic performance. During the 2020 pandemic, oil demand within the road sector decreased as lockdowns were enforced across the world. With many countries pushing for a wider adoption of electric vehicles, oil demand in the road sector is likely to be further affected going forward.

China Energy Consumption: Daily Average: Crude Oil data was reported at 19,810.000 SCE Ton th in 2021. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,898.000 SCE Ton th for 2020. China Energy Consumption: Daily Average: Crude Oil data is updated yearly, averaging 585.000 SCE Ton th from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2021, with 41 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19,810.000 SCE Ton th in 2021 and a record low of 238.000 SCE Ton th in 1982. China Energy Consumption: Daily Average: Crude Oil data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s China – Table CN.RBB: Energy Consumption.

OPEC reduces its 2024 oil demand growth forecast by 210,000 barrels per day, signaling shifts in global market dynamics.

Diesel and gasoil account for the highest oil products demand share in the world. In 2023, these products made up some 28.38 percent of total oil demand. This figure is expected to decrease slightly by 2050, with jet fuel and kerosene expected to see the greatest increase in demand shares. Daily global crude oil demand is expected to climb over 100 million barrels in 2023.

Key information about Germany Oil Consumption

• Germany Oil Consumption was reported at 1,954.716 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,072.366 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• Germany Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 2,632.047 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 3,336.601 Barrel/Day th in 1979 and a record low of 1,708.632 Barrel/Day th in 1965
• Germany Oil Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by BP PLC
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Energy Sector – Table RB.BP.OIL: Oil: Consumption

Key information about United Kingdom Oil Consumption

• United Kingdom Oil Consumption was reported at 1,324.763 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records an increase from the previous number of 1,309.475 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• UK Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 1,707.613 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 2,228.136 Barrel/Day th in 1973 and a record low of 1,183.309 Barrel/Day th in 2020
• UK Oil Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by BP PLC
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Energy Sector – Table RB.BP.OIL: Oil: Consumption

Barrels of oil used per day is a key indicator of global oil consumption, providing insight into daily demand influenced by factors such as population growth, economic activity, and energy consumption patterns. Find out about the largest consumers, the impact of COVID-19, and efforts to promote a greener energy future.

Key information about France Oil Consumption

• France Oil Consumption was reported at 1,347.801 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,360.348 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• France Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 1,863.937 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 2,499.079 Barrel/Day th in 1973 and a record low of 1,065.497 Barrel/Day th in 1965
• France Oil Consumption data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by BP PLC
• The data is categorized under World Trend Plus’s Association: Energy Sector – Table RB.BP.OIL: Oil: Consumption