Fact #214: April 29, 2002
What Is Made from a Barrel of Oil?

Crude oil can be refined into a number of petroleum products. The amount of each product differs significantly between countries. In Europe, where diesel fuel use is prevalent, 36% of the refinery yield is diesel and only 20% is gasoline. In North America, only 23% of the refinery yield is diesel and 41% is gasoline. The OECD Pacific countries have a higher yield of kerosene than the other OECD regions.

Graph: What Is Made from a Barrel of Oil?

Notes:
Gasoline includes motor gasoline, jet gasoline, and aviation gasoline.
Kerosene includes jet kerosene and other kerosene.
OECD North America includes the Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
OECD Europe includes Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.
OECD Pacific includes Australia, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand.

Supporting Information

Refinery Yield by OECD Region, 2001
Petroleum
Product
OECD
North America
OECD
Pacific
OECD
Europe
Naphtha 1.4% 9.1% 6.5%
Gasoline 40.6% 18.3% 20.3%
Kerosene 8.6% 15.1% 6.2%
Diesel 23.3% 28.1% 35.8%
Residual 7.7% 18.7% 16.7%
Other 18.4% 10.7% 14.4%

Source: International Energy Agency, Monthly Oil Survey, January 2002.

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