Info!
UPDATED 1 Sept: The EI library in London is temporarily closed to the public, as a precautionary measure in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. The Knowledge Service will still be answering email queries via email , or via live chats during working hours (09:15-17:00 GMT). Our e-library is always open for members here: eLibrary , for full-text access to over 200 e-books and millions of articles. Thank you for your patience.

Energy Insight: Refining: world refining capacity (DSS06)

Please note this Insight is no longer being updated.  You will find more recent information via our Energy Insight - Sources of energy information - statistics and basic industry facts

Until around 1980 there was a steady increase in refining capacity worldwide. The 'oil crisis' in the mid 1980s saw the oil price drop from about $36 bbl in 1981 to a low of below $10 bbl in 1986, and accounted for a corresponding reduction in refining capacity during that decade.  




Since 1990, global capacity has averaged just under one percent growth annually, with China and India driving much of that increase.. 



The United States continues to maintain a large percentage (one fifth) of global capacity. European refinery capacity never recovered to its 1980 peak, and averaged about 0.8 percent contraction annually from 1980 to 2017, although has seen 2% increase in 2018. 


While most of the top 25 ranked countries have more or less retained their ranking over the last few years, Mexico has dropped from 13th to 23rd from 2016 to 2017 and has remained at that level. 

Energy Insight details



EI Datasheet 06.xlsx
This content is for EI members only. Log in via top right corner of the page or join us today to access our full range of benefits, including full access to the Knowledge database content.

Keywords: Statistics - Refining

Subjects: Statistics, Refining, Crude oil, Oil and gas

Please login to save this item