- Oil Refinery Throughput refers to the actual volume of crude oil and other refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during a given period.
China Oil Refinery Throughput was 15,102 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023, up 8.7% on 2022. The Oil Refinery Throughput dataset of China from 2015 to 2023 provides a comprehensive overview of the country's petroleum refining activity, highlighting annual crude oil processing volumes, refinery performance, and developments across the downstream oil industry. Measured in million barrels daily, the dataset represents the actual volume of crude oil processed by domestic refineries each day.
China Oil Refinery Throughput moved from 10,824 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 to 15,102 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 (+39.5%), an average of +4.3% a year. The series high was 15,102 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 and the low 10,824 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015.
The gap between the series high (2023) and low (2015) is 4,278 Thousand Barrels Daily. The sharpest single-year move was +8.7% in 2023.
Among the 44 countries in this dataset, China ranks 2 for 2023, behind U.S. (15,963 Thousand Barrels Daily) and Russia (5,668 Thousand Barrels Daily). It accounts for 18.2% of the global total in 2023.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Barrels Daily.
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| Year | Thousand Barrels Daily | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023Peak | 15,102 | +8.7% |
| 2022 | 13,892 | −3.9% |
| 2021 | 14,461 | +4.6% |
| 2020 | 13,824 | +2.9% |
| 2019 | 13,433 | +6.8% |
| 2018 | 12,574 | +6.2% |
| 2017 | 11,844 | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 11,304 | +4.4% |
| 2015 Trough | 10,824 | — |
Regional context
Oil Refinery Throughput by country, 2023, Thousand Barrels Daily. China is highlighted.
Data definition
Oil Refinery Throughput — - Oil Refinery Throughput refers to the actual volume of crude oil and other refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during a given period. It is typically measured in thousand barrels per day (kb/d) and represents the operational output of the refining sector rather than its installed capacity. This indicator reflects the extent to which refinery infrastructure is utilized to convert crude oil into refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and other petroleum products. Oil Refinery Throughput is widely used to assess refinery operations, downstream petroleum activity, fuel production levels, and the efficiency of refinery utilization.
The data includes the actual quantity of crude oil and eligible refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during the reporting period. It covers throughput from both public and privately operated refineries, including onshore and, where applicable, offshore refining facilities. The indicator reflects crude oil processed into refined petroleum products regardless of whether the crude oil is domestically produced or imported. It includes refinery operations across all major processing units involved in converting crude oil into finished petroleum products. Data is compiled from national energy authorities, refinery operators, and standardized international energy databases using internationally recognized reporting methodologies, enabling consistent comparison of refinery throughput across countries and over time.
The data excludes refinery nameplate capacity, crude oil production, crude oil reserves, oil consumption, imports and exports of refined petroleum products, and refinery utilization rates when reported separately. It does not include production from natural gas processing plants, biofuel refineries, synthetic fuel facilities, gas-to-liquids (GTL), or coal-to-liquids (CTL) plants unless specifically classified within refinery operations. The indicator also excludes petrochemical manufacturing processes that do not involve crude oil refining and does not directly measure refinery efficiency, product quality, profitability, or environmental performance. Minor variations may occur due to differences in national reporting standards, feedstock classifications, refinery accounting practices, and statistical estimation methodologies across countries.
Oil Refinery Throughput — - Oil Refinery Throughput refers to the actual volume of crude oil and other refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during a given period. It is typically measured in thousand barrels per day (kb/d) and represents the operational output of the refining sector rather than its installed capacity. This indicator reflects the extent to which refinery infrastructure is utilized to convert crude oil into refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and other petroleum products. Oil Refinery Throughput is widely used to assess refinery operations, downstream petroleum activity, fuel production levels, and the efficiency of refinery utilization.
It serves as an important indicator of refinery utilization, fuel production, industrial growth, energy security, and China's ability to satisfy domestic consumption while supporting exports of refined petroleum products.
China recorded oil refinery throughput of 10.82 million barrels daily in 2015, increasing steadily to 11.30 million barrels daily in 2016, 11.84 million barrels daily in 2017, and 12.57 million barrels daily in 2018. Throughput continued to rise to 13.43 million barrels daily in 2019 and 13.82 million barrels daily in 2020, reflecting expanding refining capacity and resilient industrial activity. Processing volumes increased further to 14.46 million barrels daily in 2021, eased slightly to 13.89 million barrels daily in 2022, and reached a record 15.10 million barrels daily in 2023, demonstrating continued expansion of China's refining sector.
Overall, the dataset indicates a strong long-term upward trend in refinery throughput throughout the review period. Despite a slight decline in 2022, refinery processing volumes recovered strongly in 2023, reflecting higher refinery utilization, expanding downstream infrastructure, and robust domestic fuel demand.
The dataset is valuable for evaluating China's refinery throughput trends, analyzing downstream industry performance, and assessing crude oil processing activity. It supports refinery utilization analysis, investment planning, energy security assessments, and policy evaluation while providing valuable insights for researchers, analysts, industry stakeholders, and policymakers studying refinery efficiency, infrastructure development, and the long-term competitiveness of China's petroleum refining industry.
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Definition- Oil Refinery Throughput refers to the actual volume of crude oil and other refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during a given period. It is typically measured in thousand barrels per day (kb/d) and represents the operational output of the refining sector rather than its installed capacity. This indicator reflects the extent to which refinery infrastructure is utilized to convert crude oil into refined petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene, fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and other petroleum products. Oil Refinery Throughput is widely used to assess refinery operations, downstream petroleum activity, fuel production levels, and the efficiency of refinery utilization.
China Oil Refinery Throughput was 15,102 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023, up 8.7% on 2022.
China Oil Refinery Throughput moved from 10,824 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 to 15,102 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 (+39.5%), an average of +4.3% a year. The series high was 15,102 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 and the low 10,824 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015.
The highest value was 15,102 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 and the lowest was 10,824 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015.
Included: The data includes the actual quantity of crude oil and eligible refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during the reporting period. It covers throughput from both public and privately operated refineries, including onshore and, where applicable, offshore refining facilities. The indicator reflects crude oil processed into refined petroleum products regardless of whether the crude oil is domestically produced or imported. It includes refinery operations across all major processing units involved in converting crude oil into finished petroleum products. Data is compiled from national energy authorities, refinery operators, and standardized international energy databases using internationally recognized reporting methodologies, enabling consistent comparison of refinery throughput across countries and over time. Excluded: The data excludes refinery nameplate capacity, crude oil production, crude oil reserves, oil consumption, imports and exports of refined petroleum products, and refinery utilization rates when reported separately. It does not include production from natural gas processing plants, biofuel refineries, synthetic fuel facilities, gas-to-liquids (GTL), or coal-to-liquids (CTL) plants unless specifically classified within refinery operations. The indicator also excludes petrochemical manufacturing processes that do not involve crude oil refining and does not directly measure refinery efficiency, product quality, profitability, or environmental performance. Minor variations may occur due to differences in national reporting standards, feedstock classifications, refinery accounting practices, and statistical estimation methodologies across countries.
The series is sourced from energyinst.org (https://www.energyinst.org/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/1542714/684_EI_Stat_Review_V16_DIGITAL.pdf). It covers 2015–2023 and is reported in Thousand Barrels Daily.
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