Oil consumption in South Africa
South Africa: Oil consumption was 272.42 terawatt-hours in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
272.42 terawatt-hours
Change on year
up 2.5%
World rank
35th
of 220 countries
All-time high
344.8 terawatt-hours
in 2015
All-time low
67.36 terawatt-hours
in 1965
Years of data
61
1965–2025
Oil consumption in South Africa, 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
In 2025, oil consumption in South Africa stood at 272.42 terawatt-hours.
The figure is up 2.5% on the previous year and down 21.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, oil consumption in South Africa peaked at 344.8 terawatt-hours in 2015 and was at its lowest, 67.36 terawatt-hours, in 1965.
South Africa ranks 35th of 220 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 61 years of available data.
Oil consumption in South Africa, year by year
| Year | terawatt-hours | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 67.36 terawatt-hours | — |
| 1966 | 73.19 terawatt-hours | +8.7% |
| 1967 | 79.77 terawatt-hours | +9.0% |
| 1968 | 86.71 terawatt-hours | +8.7% |
| 1969 | 95.33 terawatt-hours | +9.9% |
| 1970 | 103.3 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 1971 | 112.91 terawatt-hours | +9.3% |
| 1972 | 123.06 terawatt-hours | +9.0% |
| 1973 | 135.77 terawatt-hours | +10.3% |
| 1974 | 132.3 terawatt-hours | -2.6% |
| 1975 | 140.56 terawatt-hours | +6.2% |
| 1976 | 142.12 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
| 1977 | 140.74 terawatt-hours | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 147.82 terawatt-hours | +5.0% |
| 1979 | 140.09 terawatt-hours | -5.2% |
| 1980 | 144.07 terawatt-hours | +2.8% |
| 1981 | 156.12 terawatt-hours | +8.4% |
| 1982 | 158.25 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 1983 | 159.86 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 1984 | 174.06 terawatt-hours | +8.9% |
| 1985 | 170.04 terawatt-hours | -2.3% |
| 1986 | 164.14 terawatt-hours | -3.5% |
| 1987 | 173.64 terawatt-hours | +5.8% |
| 1988 | 191.27 terawatt-hours | +10.2% |
| 1989 | 198.18 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 1990 | 200.1 terawatt-hours | +1.0% |
| 1991 | 201.75 terawatt-hours | +0.8% |
| 1992 | 208.36 terawatt-hours | +3.3% |
| 1993 | 216.77 terawatt-hours | +4.0% |
| 1994 | 226.23 terawatt-hours | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 241.26 terawatt-hours | +6.6% |
| 1996 | 248.51 terawatt-hours | +3.0% |
| 1997 | 252.6 terawatt-hours | +1.6% |
| 1998 | 256.45 terawatt-hours | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 259.98 terawatt-hours | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 264.3 terawatt-hours | +1.7% |
| 2001 | 269.98 terawatt-hours | +2.2% |
| 2002 | 276.94 terawatt-hours | +2.6% |
| 2003 | 286.92 terawatt-hours | +3.6% |
| 2004 | 297.69 terawatt-hours | +3.8% |
| 2005 | 298.22 terawatt-hours | +0.2% |
| 2006 | 304.01 terawatt-hours | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 310.25 terawatt-hours | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 294.21 terawatt-hours | -5.2% |
| 2009 | 288.55 terawatt-hours | -1.9% |
| 2010 | 302.44 terawatt-hours | +4.8% |
| 2011 | 306.04 terawatt-hours | +1.2% |
| 2012 | 313.72 terawatt-hours | +2.5% |
| 2013 | 319.58 terawatt-hours | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 316.09 terawatt-hours | -1.1% |
| 2015 | 344.8 terawatt-hours | +9.1% |
| 2016 | 331.6 terawatt-hours | -3.8% |
| 2017 | 332.07 terawatt-hours | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 325.73 terawatt-hours | -1.9% |
| 2019 | 322.71 terawatt-hours | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 273.87 terawatt-hours | -15.1% |
| 2021 | 286.46 terawatt-hours | +4.6% |
| 2022 | 285.24 terawatt-hours | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 288.4 terawatt-hours | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 265.72 terawatt-hours | -7.9% |
| 2025 | 272.42 terawatt-hours | +2.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 80.47 terawatt-hours | 67.36 terawatt-hours | 95.33 terawatt-hours | 5 |
| 1970s | 131.87 terawatt-hours | 103.3 terawatt-hours | 147.82 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1980s | 168.96 terawatt-hours | 144.07 terawatt-hours | 198.18 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 1990s | 231.2 terawatt-hours | 200.1 terawatt-hours | 259.98 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2000s | 289.11 terawatt-hours | 264.3 terawatt-hours | 310.25 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2010s | 321.48 terawatt-hours | 302.44 terawatt-hours | 344.8 terawatt-hours | 10 |
| 2020s | 278.68 terawatt-hours | 265.72 terawatt-hours | 288.4 terawatt-hours | 6 |
Countries ranked near South Africa
More energy & mining data for South Africa
- Fuel imports 17.7% (2025)
- Ores and metals imports 2.5% (2025)
- Ores and metals exports 30.3% (2025)
- Gas production 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Fossil fuel production per person, by fuel 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel 0.6284 terawatt-hours (2024)
- Gas production per person 9.82 kilowatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fossil fuel production by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Gas production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is oil consumption in South Africa?
- Oil consumption in South Africa was 272.42 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 South Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 344.8 terawatt-hours in 2015.
- What is the lowest oil consumption recorded in South Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was 67.36 terawatt-hours in 1965.
- How does South Africa rank for oil consumption?
- South Africa ranks 35th out of 220 countries with data for 2025.
- Is oil consumption rising or falling in South Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this South Africa 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.