The international energy situation > Oil > World oil production
World oil production

The speed at which crude oil is being prospected around the world varies from region to region. For example, in the US, prospecting increased with respect to 2009, partly due to the quest to locate non-conventional gas. Conversely, numbers in the North Sea were down. Rising costs and volatile crude oil prices throughout most of the year did not favour this activity.

The initial estimates concerning 2010’s crude oil production indicate a 1.8% increase with respect to data from 2009. Yet despite this increase, the level from previous years has not yet been recovered. 2010’s figures resemble those from 2005.

Excluding Europe, production was up in all major geographic areas. North America recorded a 3.5% increase, while production in Central and South America also climbed, by 3.1%. Europe’s primary producers recorded a decline in production: Norway by 10% and the United Kingdom by almost 12%.

The Russian Federation occupied the top spot in terms of production in 2010, followed by Saudi Arabia, the United States and, in fourth place, China.

The hefty rise in proved reserves and a slight increase in production gave the reserves/production ratio a boost, up to 47.4 years.  

WORLD OIL PRODUCTION
Millions of Tm
Areas
  • North America
  • Central and South America (1)
  • Europe
  • CIS
  • Africa
  • Middle East
  • Asia - Oceania
  • WORLD TOTAL
  • OPEC
  • % OPEC/WORLD
1979
  • 564,7
  • 280,1
  • 112,4
  • 610,1
  • 328,5
  • 1.081,0
  • 248,5
  • 3.225,3
  • 1.552,8
  • 48,1
1983
  • 565,8
  • 325,6
  • 168,5
  • 640,2
  • 226,5
  • 595,5
  • 254,9
  • 2.777,0
  • 894,2
  • 32,2
2005
  • 458,2
  • 534,2
  • 252,8
  • 592,0
  • 471,6
  • 1.209,6
  • 380,1
  • 3.899,5
  • 1.666,7
  • 42,8
2008
  • 462,6
  • 493,2
  • 209,7
  • 640,5
  • 485,6
  • 1.251,5
  • 391,5
  • 3.934,6
  • 1.703,8
  • 43,3
2009
  • 481,4
  • 486,0
  • 198,3
  • 656.5
  • 459,3
  • 1.156,4
  • 383,1
  • 3.820,6
  • 1.574,7
  • 41,2
2010
  • 497,9
  • 501,3
  • 179,4
  • 675,1
  • 473,2
  • 1.162,9
  • 398,2
  • 3.888,0
  • 1.597,1
  • 41,1
2010 (%)
  • 12,8
  • 12,9
  • 4,6
  • 17,4
  • 12,2
  • 29,9
  • 10,2
  • 100,0
  • 41,1
  •  
(1) Includes Mexico

Source: BP Statistical Review of World Energy and Oil and Gas Journal. Produced in-house
Annual Report 2010
  • Foto
Annual Report 2.010: Sedigas - The Spanish Gas Association