Oil reserves in Pakistan
Pakistan: Oil reserves was 85.85 million cubic meters in 2021. ▲ Rising
Oil reserves in Pakistan, 1980–2021
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (2022) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in cubic meters.
Analysis
Pakistan recorded 85.85 million cubic meters for oil reserves in 2021.
The figure is down 5.0% on the previous year and up 72.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, oil reserves in Pakistan peaked at 90.38 million cubic meters in 2020 and was at its lowest, 13.04 million cubic meters, in 1985.
That places Pakistan 47th out of 216 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 42 years of available data.
Oil reserves in Pakistan, year by year
| Year | cubic meters | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 31.80 million cubic meters | — |
| 1981 | 31.24 million cubic meters | -1.8% |
| 1982 | 38.16 million cubic meters | +22.1% |
| 1983 | 31.21 million cubic meters | -18.2% |
| 1984 | 13.18 million cubic meters | -57.8% |
| 1985 | 13.04 million cubic meters | -1.1% |
| 1986 | 17.33 million cubic meters | +32.9% |
| 1987 | 15.26 million cubic meters | -11.9% |
| 1988 | 15.26 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 27.10 million cubic meters | +77.5% |
| 1990 | 18.85 million cubic meters | -30.4% |
| 1991 | 25.77 million cubic meters | +36.7% |
| 1992 | 25.76 million cubic meters | -0.1% |
| 1993 | 65.50 million cubic meters | +154.3% |
| 1994 | 32.32 million cubic meters | -50.7% |
| 1995 | 32.32 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 32.32 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 33.07 million cubic meters | +2.3% |
| 1998 | 33.07 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 33.07 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 33.07 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 33.07 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 47.42 million cubic meters | +43.4% |
| 2003 | 49.36 million cubic meters | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 45.90 million cubic meters | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 45.90 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 45.98 million cubic meters | +0.2% |
| 2007 | 45.98 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 45.98 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 53.90 million cubic meters | +17.2% |
| 2010 | 49.76 million cubic meters | -7.7% |
| 2011 | 49.76 million cubic meters | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 44.62 million cubic meters | -10.3% |
| 2013 | 39.35 million cubic meters | -11.8% |
| 2014 | 54.36 million cubic meters | +38.1% |
| 2015 | 58.98 million cubic meters | +8.5% |
| 2016 | 56.20 million cubic meters | -4.7% |
| 2017 | 55.75 million cubic meters | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 52.81 million cubic meters | -5.3% |
| 2019 | 54.51 million cubic meters | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 90.38 million cubic meters | +65.8% |
| 2021 | 85.85 million cubic meters | -5.0% |
Pakistan compared with similar countries
- Pakistan's 85.85 million cubic meters is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 397.47 million cubic meters, 22% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Oil reserves in Pakistan changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | +154.3% | 25.76 million cubic meters | 65.50 million cubic meters |
| 1989 | +77.5% | 15.26 million cubic meters | 27.10 million cubic meters |
| 2020 | +65.8% | 54.51 million cubic meters | 90.38 million cubic meters |
| 1984 | -57.8% | 31.21 million cubic meters | 13.18 million cubic meters |
| 1994 | -50.7% | 65.50 million cubic meters | 32.32 million cubic meters |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 23.36 million cubic meters | 13.04 million cubic meters | 38.16 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 1990s | 33.20 million cubic meters | 18.85 million cubic meters | 65.50 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2000s | 44.65 million cubic meters | 33.07 million cubic meters | 53.90 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2010s | 51.61 million cubic meters | 39.35 million cubic meters | 58.98 million cubic meters | 10 |
| 2020s | 88.11 million cubic meters | 85.85 million cubic meters | 90.38 million cubic meters | 2 |
Countries ranked near Pakistan
More energy & mining data for Pakistan
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 2.12 % 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 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 31.5% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is oil reserves in Pakistan?
- Oil reserves in Pakistan was 85.85 million 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 Pakistan?
- The highest recorded value was 90.38 million cubic meters in 2020.
- What is the lowest oil reserves recorded in Pakistan?
- The lowest recorded value was 13.04 million cubic meters in 1985.
- How does Pakistan rank for oil reserves?
- Pakistan ranks 47th out of 216 countries with data for 2021.
- Is oil reserves rising or falling in Pakistan?
- Over the last ten years it is up 72.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Pakistan 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.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
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.