Which countries use the most oil?

Who uses the most oil in the world? In this category, the US does have the right to say, “We’re number one.”

As of 2010, the US used 19.15 million barrels of oil per day — more than double the figure for the consumer in second place: China, with a daily demand of 9.06 million barrels per day.

China’s consumption, however, is growing far faster than that for the US. Between 2009 and 2010, China’s demand for liquid fuels increased by 10.4 percent. In the same time period, consumption in the US rose by 2.0 percent. Its demand, however, still remains below the pre-economic crisis peak of 20.8 million barrels per day, reached in 2005.

It’s a trend oil-watchers around the world are paying ever more attention to: oil consumption in so-called “developed” countries — those belonging to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD — is leveling off or even shrinking, while demand in developing nations outside the OECD is expanding fast. According to BP’s most recent Statistical Review of World Energy, OECD oil consumption grew by 0.9 percent between 2009 and 2010, while the thirst among non-OECD countries increased by 5.5 percent.

So which other countries, as of 2010, ranked among the world’s top 10 consumers of oil? According to BP’s stats, nations leading in daily demand were:

1. US – 19.15 million barrels
2. China – 9.06 million barrels
3. Japan – 4.45 million barrels
4. India – 3.32 million barrels
5. Russia – 3.2 million barrels
6. Saudi Arabia – 2.81 million barrels
7. Brazil – 2.6 million barrels
8. Germany – 2.44 million barrels
9. South Korea – 2.38 million barrels
10. Canada – 2.28 million barrels

Globally, demand for liquid fuels amounted to 86.7 million barrels per day in 2010, with the top 10 countries accounting for more than 58 percent of the world’s consumption.

Who uses the most oil in the world? In this category,

the US does have the right to say, “We’re number

one.”

As of 2010, the US used 19.15 million barrels of oil

per day — more than double the figure for the

consumer in second place: China, with a daily

demand of 9.06 million barrels per day.

China’s consumption, however, is growing far faster

than that for the US. Between 2009 and 2010,

China’s demand for liquid fuels increased by 10.4

percent. In the same time period, consumption in the

US rose by 2.0 percent. Its demand, however, still

remains below the pre-economic crisis peak of 20.8

million barrels per day, reached in 2005.

It’s a trend oil-watchers around the world are paying

ever more attention to: oil consumption in so-called

“developed” countries — those belonging to the

Organization for Economic Cooperation and

Development, or OECD — is leveling off or even

shrinking, while demand in developing nations

outside the OECD is expanding fast. According to

BP’s most recent Statistical Review of World

Energy, OECD oil consumption grew by 0.9 percent

between 2009 and 2010, while the thirst among

non-OECD countries increased by 5.5 percent.

So which other countries, as of 2010, ranked among

the world’s top 10 consumers of oil? According to

BP’s stats, nations leading in daily demand were:

1. US – 19.15 million barrels
2. China – 9.06 million barrels
3. Japan – 4.45 million barrels
4. India – 3.32 million barrels
5. Russia – 3.2 million barrels
6. Saudi Arabia – 2.81 million barrels
7. Brazil – 2.6 million barrels
8. Germany – 2.44 million barrels
9. South Korea – 2.38 million barrels
10. Canada – 2.28 million barrels

Globally, demand for liquid fuels amounted to 86.7

million barrels per day in 2010, with the top 10

countries accounting for more than 58 percent of the

world’s consumption.