Fuel demand and fuel pollution are moving in opposite directions, and the tension is easier to see when you line up the latest figures. Global heating oil demand sat at 3.5 million bpd in 2022 while fossil fuel industry emissions reached 37.4 GtCO2, alongside oil still driving 44% of energy related CO2. This post puts global production, prices, emissions, and reserves side by side so the real tradeoffs behind refining and energy policy become impossible to ignore.
Key Takeaways
- Global oil consumption reached 99.7 million bpd in 2022.
- US oil consumption was 20.0 million bpd in 2022.
- China's oil demand hit 15.1 million bpd in 2022.
- Fossil fuel industry emitted 37.4 GtCO2 in 2022.
- Oil contributed 44% of energy-related CO2 emissions in 2022.
- Coal accounted for 40% of global CO2 from fuels in 2022.
- Brent crude oil average price was $100.93 per barrel in 2022.
- WTI crude average price reached $94.58 per barrel in 2022.
- Dubai crude averaged $99.15 per barrel in 2022.
- In 2022, global crude oil production reached 99.1 million barrels per day (bpd).
- US oil production hit a record 13.3 million bpd in 2023.
- Saudi Arabia produced 10.6 million bpd of oil in 2022.
- Proven global oil reserves stood at 1,731.9 billion barrels at end-2022.
- Venezuela holds the largest oil reserves at 303.3 billion barrels.
- Saudi Arabia's proven oil reserves are 267.0 billion barrels.
In 2022 global fossil fuel use stayed massive, with oil demand near 100 million bpd and emissions rising.
Related reading
01 · Category
Consumption23 stats
01
Global oil consumption reached 99.7 million bpd in 2022.
02
US oil consumption was 20.0 million bpd in 2022.
03
China's oil demand hit 15.1 million bpd in 2022.
04
India's oil consumption grew to 5.4 million bpd in 2022.
05
EU oil consumption was 12.7 million bpd in 2022.
06
Japan's oil use stood at 3.2 million bpd in 2022.
07
Saudi Arabia consumed 4.0 million bpd domestically in 2022.
08
Global gasoline demand was 25.5 million bpd in 2022.
09
Diesel demand globally reached 32.2 million bpd in 2022.
10
Jet fuel consumption recovered to 6.8 million bpd in 2022.
11
Global natural gas consumption rose 2.7% to 3,942 bcm in 2022.
12
Europe's gas consumption fell 11% to 346 bcm in 2022.
13
US natural gas use was 892 bcm in 2022.
14
China's gas demand grew 8.7% to 364 bcm in 2022.
15
Global coal consumption increased 1.1% to 8,500 Mt in 2022.
16
China's coal use was 4,376 Mt in 2022.
17
India's coal consumption reached 1,192 Mt in 2022.
18
US gasoline consumption averaged 8.8 million bpd in 2022.
19
Global heating oil demand was 3.5 million bpd in 2022.
20
Petrochemical feedstock demand grew 2.5% in 2022.
21
Commercial aviation fuel use up 50% in 2022 post-COVID.
22
Global LPG consumption was 305 Mt in 2022.
23
Road transport oil demand 46 million bpd globally in 2022.
Interpretation
Consumption Interpretation
The planet guzzled nearly 100 million barrels of oil per day in 2022, proving that while we may be experimenting with cleaner fuels, the global economy still runs on the unwavering logic of "if it moves, it probably needs petrochemicals."
02 · Category
Environmental27 stats
01
Fossil fuel industry emitted 37.4 GtCO2 in 2022.
02
Oil contributed 44% of energy-related CO2 emissions in 2022.
03
Coal accounted for 40% of global CO2 from fuels in 2022.
04
Natural gas CO2 emissions rose 3% to 8 GtCO2 in 2022.
05
Global methane emissions from oil/gas up 5% in 2022.
06
US oil/gas methane emissions 30% above EPA estimates.
07
Flare gas volumes globally 148 bcm in 2022.
08
Oil spills from tankers totaled 100,000 tonnes in 2022.
09
NOx emissions from fossil fuels 25 Mt globally in 2022.
10
SOx emissions from shipping fuels down 70% post-IMO 2020.
11
Water use in oil production averaged 1-5 barrels per barrel oil.
12
Coal mining land disturbance 8,000 sq km annually.
13
Fracking uses 20 trillion liters water globally since 2011.
14
Acid mine drainage affects 20,000 km rivers from coal.
15
Oil palm biodiesel drives 100 Mha deforestation since 2000.
16
Global fuel-related PM2.5 causes 4.2 million premature deaths yearly.
17
LNG lifecycle emissions 20-50% lower than coal per kWh.
18
Carbon capture utilization storage (CCUS) capacity 40 MtCO2/year.
19
Oil sands tailings ponds cover 220 sq km in Canada.
20
Global fuel subsidies reached $1.3 trillion in 2022.
21
Biofuel production emitted 13 gCO2/MJ vs 94 for gasoline.
22
Arctic oil exploration threatens 25% polar bear habitat.
23
Coal ash toxic waste 1.2 billion tonnes annually.
24
Offshore oil rigs contribute to ocean acidification via CO2.
25
Fuel industry responsible for 75% industrial water pollution.
26
Global refining SO2 emissions 10 Mt in 2022.
27
Fuel poverty affects 759 million without clean cooking fuels.
Interpretation
Environmental Interpretation
Despite painting itself as the lifeblood of civilization, the fossil fuel industry is more accurately its clogged artery, emitting 37.4 gigatons of CO2 while simultaneously poisoning our air and water, destabilizing our climate, subsidizing its own destruction with trillions, and leaving behind a toxic legacy that harms everything from polar bears to human lungs.
03 · Category
Prices26 stats
01
Brent crude oil average price was $100.93per barrel in 2022.
02
WTI crude average price reached $94.58per barrel in 2022.
03
Dubai crude averaged $99.15per barrel in 2022.
04
European gas prices peaked at €300/MWh in August 2022.
05
Henry Hub natural gas average $6.45/MMBtu in 2022.
06
TTF gas price averaged €90/MWh in 2022.
07
Newcastle coal price surged to $400/tonne in 2022 peak.
08
API2 coal averaged $250/tonne in 2022.
09
US gasoline retail price averaged $3.95/gallon in 2022.
10
Diesel retail price in US $5.15/gallon average 2022.
11
Global LNG spot price JKM averaged $30/MMBtu in 2022.
12
Brent forward curve showed $80/bbl for 2023 average.
13
OPEC basket price averaged $100.04/bbl in 2022.
14
Russian Urals crude discount to Brent widened to $30/bbl in 2022.
15
Global coal price index up 60% in 2022.
16
Asian LNG prices hit $70/MMBtu peak in 2022.
17
US ethane price averaged $0.40/gallon in 2022.
18
Heating oil futures averaged $3.60/gallon in NYMEX 2022.
19
Global biofuels price premium over fossil fuels narrowed in 2022.
20
WTI-Brent spread averaged $6.35/bbl in 2022.
21
Carbon emission allowance prices in EU ETS reached €90/tonne in 2022.
22
Global oil inventories fell by 1.4 million bpd in 2022.
23
RBOB gasoline futures averaged $3.25/gallon in 2022.
24
Thermal coal CFR China averaged $220/tonne in 2022.
25
Fuel oil 380 cst averaged $750/tonne in 2022.
26
Global oil demand growth slowed to 1.1 million bpd in 2023 forecast.
Interpretation
Prices Interpretation
The world’s energy bill in 2022 came in at ‘staggering,’ with every fuel from crude to coal shouting a costly reminder that geopolitics and economics had a very expensive, and very serious, lovers’ quarrel.
More related reading
04 · Category
Production30 stats
01
In 2022, global crude oil production reached 99.1 million barrels per day (bpd).
02
US oil production hit a record 13.3 million bpd in 2023.
03
Saudi Arabia produced 10.6 million bpd of oil in 2022.
04
Russia's oil production averaged 10.1 million bpd in 2022.
05
Canada’s oil sands production was 3.3 million bpd in 2022.
06
Norway's oil production stood at 2.0 million bpd in 2022.
07
Brazil produced 3.1 million bpd of oil in 2022.
08
UAE oil output was 4.2 million bpd in 2022.
09
Iraq produced 4.4 million bpd in 2022.
10
China’s oil production was 4.1 million bpd in 2022.
11
Global natural gas production increased by 3.2% to 4,048 bcm in 2022.
12
US natural gas production reached 1,035 bcm in 2022.
13
Qatar's LNG production capacity is 77 million tonnes per annum (mtpa).
14
Australia produced 147 bcm of natural gas in 2022.
15
Global coal production hit 8,771 million tonnes (Mt) in 2022.
16
China's coal production was 4,627 Mt in 2022.
17
India produced 893 Mt of coal in FY2022-23.
18
US coal production fell to 577 Mt in 2022.
19
Global refinery runs averaged 82.5 million bpd in 2022.
20
ExxonMobil's global refining capacity is 4.6 million bpd.
21
Global ethanol production reached 112 billion liters in 2022.
22
Brazil's ethanol output was 32 billion liters in 2022.
23
US gasoline production averaged 9.6 million bpd in 2022.
24
Global diesel production was approximately 30 million bpd in 2022.
25
Shell's LNG liquefaction capacity is 34 mtpa.
26
Indonesia's coal production was 660 Mt in 2022.
27
Global jet fuel production recovered to 6.5 million bpd in 2022.
28
Nigeria's oil production averaged 1.4 million bpd in 2022.
29
Global biodiesel production was 44 billion liters in 2022.
30
Kazakhstan oil production was 1.8 million bpd in 2022.
Interpretation
Production Interpretation
Despite the ambitious choir of energy transition pledges, the world's 2022-23 scorecard reveals a stubborn and overwhelming fossil fuel symphony, with the U.S. conducting a record oil boom, China soloing on coal, and a growing natural gas crescendo, all while biofuels and refineries hum diligently in the background, proving that the old energy regime isn't exiting the stage quietly.
05 · Category
Reserves30 stats
01
Proven global oil reserves stood at 1,731.9 billion barrels at end-2022.
02
Venezuela holds the largest oil reserves at 303.3 billion barrels.
03
Saudi Arabia's proven oil reserves are 267.0 billion barrels.
04
Canada's oil sands reserves are estimated at 166.9 billion barrels.
05
Iran's oil reserves total 208.6 billion barrels.
06
Iraq's proven reserves are 145.0 billion barrels.
07
UAE oil reserves are 111.0 billion barrels.
08
Russia's reserves stand at 107.8 billion barrels.
09
US proven oil reserves increased to 47.1 billion barrels in 2022.
10
Kuwait's oil reserves are 101.5 billion barrels.
11
Libya holds 48.4 billion barrels of oil reserves.
12
Global natural gas reserves were 187 trillion cubic meters (tcm) in 2022.
13
Russia has the largest gas reserves at 37.4 tcm.
14
Iran's gas reserves are 33.8 tcm.
15
Qatar's proven gas reserves total 23.9 tcm.
16
Turkmenistan gas reserves are 11.4 tcm.
17
US gas reserves reached 13.2 tcm in 2022.
18
Saudi Arabia's gas reserves are 8.5 tcm.
19
Global coal reserves are estimated at 1,074 billion tonnes.
20
US coal reserves total 248 billion short tons.
21
Russia's coal reserves are 162 billion tonnes.
22
Australia's recoverable coal reserves are 149 billion tonnes.
23
China's coal reserves stand at 143 billion tonnes.
24
India's coal reserves are 119 billion tonnes.
25
Global shale oil technically recoverable resources are 429 billion barrels.
26
Permian Basin holds 75 billion barrels of shale oil resources.
27
Global shale gas resources are 7,299 tcm.
28
Marcellus Shale gas resources are 504 tcm.
29
Offshore global oil resources undiscovered are 565 billion barrels.
30
Arctic oil undiscovered resources are 90 billion barrels.
Interpretation
Reserves Interpretation
The world's energy chessboard is currently dominated by a handful of players sitting on buried mountains of black gold and blue flame, suggesting that for all our talk of a green transition, we remain, for now, profoundly powered by a geological lottery drawn millennia ago.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Gabrielle Fontaine. (2026, February 13). Fuel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fuel-industry-statistics
MLA
Gabrielle Fontaine. "Fuel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/fuel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Gabrielle Fontaine. 2026. "Fuel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/fuel-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
46 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level