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 Thailand's ability to meet domestic and regional petroleum product demand.
Thailand recorded oil refinery throughput of 1,066 thousand barrels daily in 2015, declining to 1,022 thousand barrels daily in 2016 before increasing to 1,064 thousand barrels daily in 2017. Throughput reached 1,093 thousand barrels daily in 2018, the highest level during the review period, before declining to 990 thousand barrels daily in 2019. Refinery throughput remained relatively stable at 982 thousand barrels daily in 2020, eased slightly to 976 thousand barrels daily in 2021, recovered to 1,021 thousand barrels daily in 2022, and increased further to 1,054 thousand barrels daily in 2023, reflecting strengthening refinery operations and downstream activity.
Overall, the dataset demonstrates relatively stable refinery throughput with moderate fluctuations throughout the review period. Following temporary declines, refinery processing volumes recovered steadily, supported by improving refinery utilization and resilient domestic fuel demand.
The dataset is valuable for evaluating Thailand'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 Thailand's petroleum refining industry.