Largest oil refineries in Europe 2024
Shell owns the largest oil refinery in Europe. As of 2025, its Pernis, Netherlands, plant had a daily capacity of 425,000 barrels and was the only refinery with a capacity exceeding 400,000 barrels. Most of the region's largest oil refineries were operated by oil supermajors. Among them, Exxon and Shell, two companies headquartered in Europe, were the only two to have more than one refinery listed among the ten 10 largest.
European countries with largest refining industry
There were nearly 90 oil refineries operated in Europe as of early 2024. Germany, as the largest economy in the region, has more refineries than any other European country. This includes oil-producing countries such as Norway and the United Kingdom. The former is the largest oil producer in Europe, but only manages one refinery in its territory.
Why Europe remains a refining hub
Though indigenous oil production has decreased in Europe alongside greater decommissioning activity in the North Sea, the region remains a hub for oil processing. This is primarily due to its continued high demand for oil products and the benefit of its proximity to large consumer markets. As of 2023, Europe and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries had a combined refinery throughput of nearly 19 million barrels per day.
