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 efficiency, energy security, and Qatar's ability to meet domestic and export petroleum product demand.
Qatar recorded oil refinery throughput of 253 thousand barrels daily in 2015, increasing to 280 thousand barrels daily in 2016 and 379 thousand barrels daily in 2017. Throughput continued to rise to 397 thousand barrels daily in 2018 before easing slightly to 396 thousand barrels daily in 2019. In 2020, refinery throughput declined to 366 thousand barrels daily because of lower fuel demand and operational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Processing volumes recovered to 381 thousand barrels daily in 2021, reached 415 thousand barrels daily in 2022, the highest level during the review period, and moderated slightly to 409 thousand barrels daily in 2023, reflecting strong refinery performance and resilient downstream demand.
Overall, the dataset indicates a positive long-term trend in refinery throughput despite temporary disruptions during 2020. The subsequent recovery highlights improving refinery utilization, expanding processing capability, and sustained demand for refined petroleum products.
The dataset is valuable for evaluating Qatar'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 utilization, and the long-term development of Qatar's petroleum refining industry.