Global oil products demand outlook 2023-2050

Diesel and gasoil are the most in-demand oil products worldwide. In 2023, diesel and gasoil demand reached 29 million barrels per day. This was closely followed by gasoline.By 2040, gasoline demand is forecast to climb to nearly 30 million barrels per day compared with 32.2 millio barrels for diesel and gasoil. 

The use of petroleum products in daily life

Crude oil serves as a feedstock for a great variety of industrial products. While transportation fuels such as gasoline and diesel are the most common examples used when referring to petroleum products, synthetic materials such as plastic packaging and many pharmaceutical drugs are also oil- and natural gas-based. In 2022, the global market value of petrochemicals stood at an estimated 584.5 billion U.S. dollars and was forecast to grow to over one trillion U.S. dollars by 2030. In a world where convenience often trumps the more environmentally friendly choice, petroleum products, particularly of the non-heavy variety, are expected to continue being in high demand.

Oil demand shaped by economic activity

As oil use is so widespread, changes in oil demand are usually an indication of developments in the wider economy, in particular changes to GDP growth as was the case in 2020. In the last two years, global liquid fuels consumption generally increased alongside economic activity and is expected to reach 104.7 million barrels per day by mid-2025.