Oil consumption worldwide reached approximately ************* barrels per day in 2023. This was an increase of around ***** 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 **** 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 consumption of oil has steadily increased over the last three decades, totaling ************ metric tons in 2024, compared to ************ 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 *********** metric tons for the first time. However, this growth in consumption was the highest in Asia Pacific, where figures went up by some *** 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.

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

Worldwide consumption for liquid fuels reached 102.57 million barrels per day in April 2025. Figures are expected to increase over the summer months. In 2025, global crude oil demand was forecast to average some 105.5 million barrels per day. Regional differences For the last few years, liquid fuel consumption has stayed relatively constant across regions. Despite seasonal and economic variances affecting demand patterns, fluctuations have been slight. In Europe, liquid fuel consumption tended to stay below 14 million barrels per day. U.S. still greatest petroleum consumer The United States remains the largest consumer of petroleum. The fossil fuel serves a great array of functions, from being a feedstock in the petrochemical industry to its use as a raw material for transportation fuels. Population numbers, economic size, industry presence, and wealth of its residents all contribute to a country’s need for this commodity. In the U.S., petroleum consumption amounts to nearly one billion metric tons, more than the combined consumption of both China and India.

Historical chart and dataset showing World fossil fuel consumption by year from 1960 to 2015.

Asia Pacific is the greatest consumer of oil and oil products in the world. In 2023, the region accounted for around 38 percent of total oil demand worldwide. This was up from 31.5 percent in 2010 and largely buoyed by greater Chinese oil consumption. Oil consumption in North America, as well as in Europe, experienced a decline in the same time period.

Key information about China Oil Consumption

• China Oil Consumption was reported at 16,576.537 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records an increase from the previous number of 14,969.983 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• China Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 2,965.072 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 16,576.537 Barrel/Day th in 2023 and a record low of 215.494 Barrel/Day th in 1965
• China 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 United States and China are the top largest consumers of oil in the world, totaling ********** and ************ barrels per day, respectively. In the last decade, the share of global oil consumption from Europe and North America have begun to decline, whereas consumption levels from Asia Pacific and other regions have risen. As other sources of energy become more cost effective and due to the prominence of new transportation technologies, oil consumption worldwide is expected to reach a peak in the near future. Refining oil Crude oil is refined into petroleum products, such as gasoline and diesel fuel, and used for a wide variety of products, although many refineries focus on transportation fuels. Generally, crude oil feedstocks are processed by an oil production plant and is an essential part of the downstream petroleum industry.

Key information about Norway Oil Consumption

• Norway Oil Consumption was reported at 213.354 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records an increase from the previous number of 208.676 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• Norway Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 200.473 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 230.271 Barrel/Day th in 2007 and a record low of 99.449 Barrel/Day th in 1965
• Norway 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

This dataset contains information about world's oil consumption for 1965-2020. Data from BP. Follow datasource.kapsarc.org for timely data to advance energy economics research.Notes:* Inland demand plus international aviation and marine bunkers and refinery fuel and loss. Consumption of biogasoline (such as ethanol), biodiesel and derivatives of coal and natural gas are also included.w Less than 0.05%.n/a not available.# Excludes Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania prior to 1985 and Slovenia prior to 1990.Notes: Differences between these world consumption figures and world production statistics are accounted for by stock changes, consumption of non-petroleum additivesand substitute fuels, and unavoidable disparities in the definition, measurement or conversion of oil supply and demand data.Annual changes and shares of total are calculated using thousand barrels daily figures.

Germany: Oil consumption, thousand barrels per day: The latest value from 2014 is 2374 thousand barrels per day, a decline from 2435 thousand barrels per day in 2013. In comparison, the world average is 444.70 thousand barrels per day, based on data from 210 countries. Historically, the average for Germany from 1991 to 2014 is 2676.79 thousand barrels per day. The minimum value, 2374 thousand barrels per day, was reached in 2014 while the maximum of 2923 thousand barrels per day was recorded in 1998.

Author: K Flohaug, educator, Minnesota Alliance for Geographic EducationGrade/Audience: grade 8, high schoolResource type: lessonSubject topic(s): economicsRegion: worldStandards: Minnesota Social Studies Standards

Standard 2. Geographic inquiry is a process in which people ask geographic questions and gather, organize and analyze information to solve problems and plan for the future.

Standard 10. The meaning, use, distribution and importance of resources changes over time.

Objectives: Students will be able to:

1. Analyze patterns of past and present world oil production and consumption to predict future world oil supply and demand.Summary: Students will analyze recent history of world oil production and consumption to identify patterns, which will allow predictions of future supply and demand. Students will then synthesize ways in which the supply and demand of world oil may impact both the future use of this limited resource and the impact it may have on the students as individuals.

Key information about Japan Oil Consumption

• Japan Oil Consumption was reported at 3,365.773 Barrel/Day th in Dec 2023
• This records a decrease from the previous number of 3,503.871 Barrel/Day th for Dec 2022
• Japan Oil Consumption data is updated yearly, averaging 4,933.384 Barrel/Day th from Dec 1965 to 2023, with 59 observations
• The data reached an all-time high of 5,805.695 Barrel/Day th in 1996 and a record low of 1,727.491 Barrel/Day th in 1965
• Japan 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

Paraguay: Oil consumption, thousand barrels per day: The latest value from 2014 is 36 thousand barrels per day, an increase from 35 thousand barrels per day in 2013. In comparison, the world average is 444.70 thousand barrels per day, based on data from 210 countries. Historically, the average for Paraguay from 1980 to 2014 is 21.33 thousand barrels per day. The minimum value, 9 thousand barrels per day, was reached in 1982 while the maximum of 36 thousand barrels per day was recorded in 2012.

The United States is the largest consumer of petroleum in the world. In 2023, the country's petroleum consumption reached nearly 816 million metric tons. This compared to the use of some 768.6 million metric tons of petroleum in China.

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

This dataset contains information about world's oil consumption for 1965-2020. Data from BP. Follow datasource.kapsarc.org for timely data to advance energy economics research.Notes:# Excludes Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania prior to 1985 and Slovenia prior to 1990.Note: Differences between these world consumption figures and world production statistics are accounted for by stock changes, consumption of non-petroleum additivesand substitute fuels, and unavoidable disparities in the definition, measurement or conversion of oil supply and demand data.

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

Top Countries' Share of Global Oil Consumption, 2016 Discover more data with ReportLinker!

Ghana: Oil consumption, thousand barrels per day: The latest value from 2014 is 83 thousand barrels per day, an increase from 81 thousand barrels per day in 2013. In comparison, the world average is 444.70 thousand barrels per day, based on data from 210 countries. Historically, the average for Ghana from 1980 to 2014 is 35.2 thousand barrels per day. The minimum value, 14 thousand barrels per day, was reached in 1981 while the maximum of 83 thousand barrels per day was recorded in 2014.