Oil reserves in Kuwait
Kuwait: Oil reserves was 16.14 billion cubic meters in 2021. ▲ Rising
Latest (2021)
16.14 billion cubic meters
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
6th
of 216 countries
All-time high
16.14 billion cubic meters
in 2005
All-time low
10.61 billion cubic meters
in 1984
Years of data
42
1980–2021
Oil reserves in Kuwait, 1980–2021
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
Kuwait recorded 16.14 billion cubic meters for oil reserves in 2021. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
The figure is unchanged over ten years.
Over the whole period, oil reserves in Kuwait peaked at 16.14 billion cubic meters in 2005 and was at its lowest, 10.61 billion cubic meters, in 1984.
Kuwait ranks 6th of 216 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Oil reserves in Kuwait, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 10.90 billion cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 10.80 billion cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 1982 | 10.77 billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1983 | 10.68 billion cubic meters | -0.9% |
| 1984 | 10.61 billion cubic meters | -0.6% |
| 1985 | 14.74 billion cubic meters | +38.9% |
| 1986 | 14.70 billion cubic meters | -0.3% |
| 1987 | 15.03 billion cubic meters | +2.2% |
| 1988 | 15.03 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 15.03 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 15.44 billion cubic meters | +2.8% |
| 1991 | 15.43 billion cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | -0.5% |
| 1993 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 15.34 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 15.74 billion cubic meters | +2.6% |
| 2005 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 16.14 billion cubic meters | +0.0% |
Kuwait compared with similar countries
- Kuwait's 16.14 billion cubic meters is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 397.47 million cubic meters, 40.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 12.83 billion cubic meters | 10.61 billion cubic meters | 15.03 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.36 billion cubic meters | 15.34 billion cubic meters | 15.44 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.78 billion cubic meters | 15.34 billion cubic meters | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 16.14 billion cubic meters | 2 |
Countries ranked near Kuwait
More energy & mining data for Kuwait
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.04 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 0.6% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is oil reserves in Kuwait?
- Oil reserves in Kuwait was 16.14 billion cubic meters in 2021, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest oil reserves recorded in Kuwait?
- The highest recorded value was 16.14 billion cubic meters in 2005.
- What is the lowest oil reserves recorded in Kuwait?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.61 billion cubic meters in 1984.
- How does Kuwait rank for oil reserves?
- Kuwait ranks 6th out of 216 countries with data for 2021.
- Is oil reserves rising or falling in Kuwait?
- Over the last ten years it is unchanged. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Kuwait data come from?
- The figures come from U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Oil reserves. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Proved reserves, measured in cubic meters, are generally those quantities that can be recovered in the future from known reservoirs under existing economic and operating conditions, according to geological and engineering information. Includes crude oil and lease condensate.