- Oil Refinery Throughput refers to the actual volume of crude oil and other refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during a given period.
South and Central America Oil Refinery Throughput was 3,767 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023, up 3.1% on 2022. The Oil Refinery Throughput dataset for South and Central America from 2015 to 2023 provides a comprehensive overview of petroleum refining activity across the region, incorporating throughput data from Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, and other South and Central American countries.
South and Central America Oil Refinery Throughput moved from 4,667 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 to 3,767 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 (−19.3%), an average of −2.6% a year. The series high was 4,667 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 and the low 3,298 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2020.
The gap between the series high (2015) and low (2020) is 1,369 Thousand Barrels Daily. The sharpest single-year move was +8.5% in 2021.
Within South and Central America, Brazil has the highest value in 2023 at 1,987 Thousand Barrels Daily, 52.7% of the regional total.
Country ranking
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By region
Thousand Barrels Daily, 2023. Each bar is that region's total.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 3,767 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | 3,655 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | 3,577 | +8.5% |
| 2020 Trough | 3,298 | −6.8% |
| 2019 | 3,537 | −7.7% |
| 2018 | 3,832 | −6.4% |
| 2017 | 4,093 | −6.1% |
| 2016 | 4,359 | −6.6% |
| 2015Peak | 4,667 | — |
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.
Measured in thousand barrels daily, the dataset represents the actual volume of crude oil processed by refineries across the region each day. It serves as an important indicator of refinery utilization, fuel production, industrial efficiency, energy security, and the region's ability to meet domestic petroleum product demand.
South and Central America recorded oil refinery throughput of 4,667 thousand barrels daily in 2015, declining to 4,359 thousand barrels daily in 2016 and 4,093 thousand barrels daily in 2017. Throughput continued to decrease to 3,832 thousand barrels daily in 2018 and 3,537 thousand barrels daily in 2019. In 2020, regional refinery throughput declined further to 3,298 thousand barrels daily because of reduced fuel demand, refinery disruptions, and pandemic-related operational challenges. Processing volumes recovered to 3,577 thousand barrels daily in 2021, increased to 3,655 thousand barrels daily in 2022, and reached 3,767 thousand barrels daily in 2023, reflecting gradual improvement in refinery operations across the region.
Overall, the dataset demonstrates a downward long-term trend in refinery throughput with moderate fluctuations throughout the review period. Although refinery activity improved after 2020, processing volumes remained below the levels recorded at the beginning of the period, indicating uneven downstream recovery across regional markets.
The dataset is valuable for evaluating South and Central America's refinery throughput trends, analyzing regional downstream industry performance, and assessing crude oil processing activity. It supports refinery utilization analysis, investment planning, energy security assessments, market evaluation, and policy development while providing valuable insights for researchers, analysts, industry stakeholders, and policymakers studying refinery efficiency, infrastructure utilization, and the long-term development of the region'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.
South and Central America Oil Refinery Throughput was 3,767 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023, up 3.1% on 2022.
South and Central America Oil Refinery Throughput moved from 4,667 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 to 3,767 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 (−19.3%), an average of −2.6% a year. The series high was 4,667 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 and the low 3,298 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2020.
The highest value was 4,667 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 and the lowest was 3,298 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2020.
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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