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 Spain's ability to meet domestic and export petroleum product demand.
Spain recorded oil refinery throughput of 1.31 million barrels daily in 2015, remaining broadly stable at 1.30 million barrels daily in 2016 before increasing to 1.33 million barrels daily in 2017. Throughput reached 1.36 million barrels daily in 2018, the highest level during the review period, before easing to 1.32 million barrels daily in 2019. In 2020, refinery throughput declined sharply to 1.11 million barrels daily because of reduced transportation fuel demand and refinery operational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughput recovered gradually to 1.14 million barrels daily in 2021, increased to 1.27 million barrels daily in 2022, and moderated slightly to 1.24 million barrels daily in 2023, reflecting improving downstream activity and stable refinery operations.
Overall, the dataset indicates relatively stable refinery throughput with moderate fluctuations over the review period. The sharp decline during 2020 was followed by a gradual recovery supported by improving refinery utilization, operational optimization, and strengthening demand for petroleum products.
The dataset is valuable for evaluating Spain'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 competitiveness of Spain's petroleum refining industry.