Oil consumption in China
China: Oil consumption was 9,401 terawatt-hours in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Oil consumption in China, 1965–2025
Source: Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026); Etemad & Luciani (1991) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in terawatt-hours.
Analysis
The most recent figure for oil consumption in China is 9,401 terawatt-hours, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 61 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.5% on the previous year and up 42.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, oil consumption in China peaked at 9,401 terawatt-hours in 2025 and was at its lowest, 129.06 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
China ranks 2nd of 219 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 175.53 terawatt-hours | 129.06 terawatt-hours | 240.04 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 751.66 terawatt-hours | 332.05 terawatt-hours | 1,079 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 1,045 terawatt-hours | 911.75 terawatt-hours | 1,288 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 1,830 terawatt-hours | 1,275 terawatt-hours | 2,437 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 3,648 terawatt-hours | 2,627 terawatt-hours | 4,580 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,422 terawatt-hours | 5,214 terawatt-hours | 7,765 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 8,662 terawatt-hours | 7,869 terawatt-hours | 9,401 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 United States 10,118 terawatt-hours compare
- 3 India 3,026 terawatt-hours compare
- 4 Russia 1,994 terawatt-hours compare
- 5 Saudi Arabia 1,981 terawatt-hours compare
More energy & mining data for China
- Fuel imports 20.4% (2024)
- Ores and metals imports 15.1% (2024)
- Ores and metals exports 1.5% (2024)
- Gas production 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 2,641 terawatt-hours (2025)
- Gas production per person 1,865 kilowatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel exports 1.5% (2024)
- Electric power transmission and distribution losses 3.4% (2023)
- Share of dietary energy supply from carbohydrates vs. GDP per capita 59.5% (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is oil consumption in China?
- Oil consumption in China was 9,401 terawatt-hours in 2025, according to Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026); Etemad & Luciani (1991) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest oil consumption recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 9,401 terawatt-hours in 2025.
- What is the lowest oil consumption recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 129.06 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does China rank for oil consumption?
- China ranks 2nd out of 219 countries with data for 2025.
- Is oil consumption rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute - Statistical Review of World Energy (2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (2026); Etemad & Luciani (1991) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Oil consumption. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 61 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measured in terawatt-hours. Includes refined petroleum products and other liquid fuels.