Oil Refinery Throughput โ - 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 efficiency, energy security, and the Netherlands' role as a major refining and petroleum products trading hub in Europe.
The Netherlands recorded oil refinery throughput of 1.16 million barrels daily in 2015, increasing slightly to 1.17 million barrels daily in 2016 and 1.18 million barrels daily in 2017. Throughput continued to rise to 1.19 million barrels daily in 2018 and 1.22 million barrels daily in 2019, the highest level during the review period. In 2020, refinery throughput declined to 1.10 million barrels daily because of reduced transportation fuel demand and operational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughput recovered to 1.15 million barrels daily in 2021, eased marginally to 1.13 million barrels daily in 2022, and increased to 1.20 million barrels daily in 2023, reflecting stronger refinery utilization and improving downstream market conditions.
Overall, the dataset indicates relatively stable refinery throughput with moderate fluctuations throughout the review period. Following the temporary decline during 2020, refinery activity recovered steadily, supported by improving operational efficiency and resilient regional fuel demand.
The dataset is valuable for evaluating the Netherlands' 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 utilization, and the long-term competitiveness of the Netherlands' petroleum refining industry.