- Oil Refinery Throughput refers to the actual volume of crude oil and other refinery feedstocks processed by petroleum refineries during a given period.
UK Oil Refinery Throughput was 938 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023, down 7.8% on 2022. The Oil Refinery Throughput dataset of the UK from 2015 to 2023 provides a comprehensive overview of the country's petroleum refining activity, highlighting annual crude oil processing volumes, refinery performance, and developments across the downstream oil industry. Measured in thousand barrels daily, the dataset represents the actual volume of crude oil processed by domestic refineries each day.
UK Oil Refinery Throughput moved from 1,118 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 to 938 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 (−16.1%), an average of −2.2% a year. The series high was 1,118 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 and the low 880 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2020.
The gap between the series high (2015) and low (2020) is 238 Thousand Barrels Daily. The sharpest single-year move was −15.7% in 2020.
Among the 44 countries in this dataset, UK ranks 17 for 2023, behind U.S. (15,963 Thousand Barrels Daily) and China (15,102 Thousand Barrels Daily). It accounts for 1.1% of the global total in 2023.
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 | 938 | −7.8% |
| 2022 | 1,017 | +14.4% |
| 2021 | 889 | +1% |
| 2020 Trough | 880 | −15.7% |
| 2019 | 1,044 | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 1,041 | −3% |
| 2017 | 1,073 | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 1,071 | −4.2% |
| 2015Peak | 1,118 | — |
Regional context
Oil Refinery Throughput by country, 2023, Thousand Barrels Daily. UK is highlighted.
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.
It serves as an important indicator of refinery utilization, fuel production, industrial efficiency, energy security, and the UK's ability to supply domestic petroleum product demand.
The UK recorded oil refinery throughput of 1,118 thousand barrels daily in 2015, declining to 1,071 thousand barrels daily in 2016 before remaining broadly stable at 1,073 thousand barrels daily in 2017. Throughput declined to 1,041 thousand barrels daily in 2018 and remained relatively unchanged at 1,044 thousand barrels daily in 2019. In 2020, refinery throughput fell sharply to 880 thousand barrels daily because of reduced fuel demand, refinery maintenance, and operational disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughput recovered marginally to 889 thousand barrels daily in 2021, increased to 1,017 thousand barrels daily in 2022, and declined again to 938 thousand barrels daily in 2023, reflecting changing refinery operations and market conditions.
Overall, the dataset indicates a gradual decline in refinery throughput over the review period, interrupted by a significant pandemic-related downturn and a partial recovery in subsequent years. The fluctuations reflect evolving refinery utilization, operational adjustments, and changes in domestic fuel demand.
The dataset is valuable for evaluating the UK'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 performance, infrastructure utilization, and the long-term competitiveness of the UK'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.
UK Oil Refinery Throughput was 938 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023, down 7.8% on 2022.
UK Oil Refinery Throughput moved from 1,118 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 to 938 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2023 (−16.1%), an average of −2.2% a year. The series high was 1,118 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 and the low 880 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2020.
The highest value was 1,118 Thousand Barrels Daily in 2015 and the lowest was 880 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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