Who has most oil in world?

Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, with estimates around 303 billion barrels, largely from the heavy crude in its Orinoco Belt, followed by Saudi Arabia and Iran, though actual extraction and production are heavily influenced by infrastructure, sanctions, and political factors. While Venezuela leads in reserves, the U.S., Russia, and Saudi Arabia are typically the top producers.


Who owns most of the oil in the world?

Venezuela owns the most proven oil reserves globally, with around 303 billion barrels, primarily heavy crude in the Orinoco Belt, followed by Saudi Arabia and Iran. These reserves are mostly controlled by the state-owned PDVSA company. While Venezuela has the most oil, other nations like the U.S., China, and Russia are major producers and consumers. 

Who has the most oil on Earth?

Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, with over 300 billion barrels, primarily extra-heavy crude in the Orinoco Belt, followed by Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Iran, though the U.S. leads in production, highlighting a difference between reserves and extraction.
 


Does the US have more oil than Saudi Arabia?

No, Saudi Arabia has significantly larger proven oil reserves, but the U.S. is the world's top oil producer, thanks to shale oil, and may have more recoverable oil overall when including unconventional sources, though official reserve numbers favor Saudi Arabia's vast conventional fields. The key difference is proven reserves (what's known and economical to extract) vs. production (current output) and total resources (potential oil). 

Who has more oil, Texas or Alaska?

No, Texas has significantly more oil than Alaska, both in current production and proven reserves; Texas is the #1 U.S. producer, while Alaska ranks much lower (around 6th), though it holds substantial reserves and is a significant producer, especially from its North Slope fields like Prudhoe Bay. Texas's Permian Basin alone produces vastly more oil than Alaska. 


How do Arab Countries have the largest oil reserves?



Why can't the U.S. use its own oil?

The U.S. can't use all its own oil because its massive refining system was built for heavy, sour crude (thick, high-sulfur oil), but the fracking boom primarily produces light, sweet crude (thin, low-sulfur oil), creating a mismatch. The U.S. often exports its abundant light oil and imports the heavy oil its refineries are designed to process, as this is more economically efficient and profitable for the industry, despite producing enough overall oil. 

Who are the big 5 in oil?

The "Big 5" oil companies generally refer to the major Western integrated energy giants: ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, and TotalEnergies, often contrasted with state-owned giants like Saudi Aramco, but these five are consistently listed as key "Supermajors" in market caps and operations, dominating global upstream (exploration/production) and downstream (refining/marketing) activities. 

What country owns 18% of the world's oil?

Venezuela 🇻🇪 has the largest proven oil reserves in the world, ranking first ahead of countries like Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 and Iran 🇮🇷 . Its reserves are estimated to be around 303 to 304 billion barrels, representing about 18% of the global total.


Does Mexico have more oil than the US?

No, the United States produces significantly more oil than Mexico, ranking as the world's top producer, while Mexico is a major producer but ranks lower, often behind the U.S., Canada, and Brazil in the Americas. The U.S. has led global oil production for years due to advanced drilling techniques like fracking, making it an energy powerhouse, whereas Mexico's production, though substantial, is challenged by aging fields like Cantarell.
 

How many years of oil is left?

Estimates for how many years of oil are left vary, but generally hover around 50 years at current consumption rates, with figures often cited in the 47-56 year range, though some projections, like the EIA's 2023 outlook, suggest adequate supply through 2050 due to new discoveries and technology. The actual timeframe depends heavily on future demand, new extraction technologies (like fracking), and how much "unproven" oil becomes economically viable to produce, as estimates differ significantly between organizations like BKV Energy, EIA, and BP. 

Who has the most untouched oil?

While Venezuela holds the largest proven reserves, the United States is often cited as having the most recoverable or untapped oil, largely due to its massive shale oil (unconventional) resources, surpassing Saudi Arabia and Russia in estimates when considering potential. Estimates vary, but the U.S. has significant untapped potential, especially in shale, while Venezuela's vast resources remain challenging to fully exploit.
 


Which country eats the most oil?

The United States is the world's largest consumer of oil, followed by China and then India, with these three nations driving most of the global demand. While the U.S. leads in total consumption, China is a close second, and India's demand continues to grow rapidly, making it the third-largest consumer.
 

Who is the richest oil family?

The title of the "richest oil family" is complex, but the Al Nahyan family of Abu Dhabi is often cited as the wealthiest, controlling significant oil reserves, while the Koch family (US) and the House of Saud (Saudi Arabia) are also prominent, with the Saud family's wealth directly tied to state oil resources, and the Kochs owning vast energy infrastructure like refineries and pipelines, not just extraction.
 

Who has more oil, Iran or the USA?

possible and undiscovered), the United States is at the top of the list with 264 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves, followed by Russia with 256 billion, Saudi Arabia with 212 billion, Canada with 167 billion, Iran with 143 billion, and Brazil with 120 billion (Table 1).


Who owned 90% of oil refineries?

In 1882, Standard Oil Trust created a network of Standard Oil companies throughout the country, led by a board of trustees, where Rockefeller owned over one third of the certificates. By the late 1880s, Standard Oil controlled 90% of American refineries.

Where does China get its oil?

China, the world's largest crude oil importer, sources its oil from diverse global suppliers, with major contributors being Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Malaysia, Iran, Oman, UAE, Brazil, and the United States, often utilizing land pipelines from Russia and Central Asia and sea routes for Middle Eastern and African supplies, diversifying to enhance energy security.
 

Who is the richest country with oil?

Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, with over 300 billion barrels, primarily extra-heavy crude in the Orinoco Belt, followed by Saudi Arabia, Canada, and Iran, though the U.S. leads in production, highlighting a difference between reserves and extraction.
 


Who controls all the oil in the world?

OPEC member countries collectively hold almost all of the world's spare oil production capacity. Saudi Arabia, the largest oil producer within OPEC and the world's largest oil exporter, historically has had the greatest spare capacity.

Why doesn't the USA use its own oil?

Global Oil Markets Are Interconnected

Importing oil from countries like Saudi Arabia or Canada is sometimes cheaper because it can be shipped directly to refineries. Also, global trade agreements mean U.S. oil is often sold to countries willing to pay higher prices, while the U.S. imports other oil to meet its needs.

Who are the 7 sisters of oil?

"Seven Sisters oil" refers to the seven major international oil companies (Exxon, Mobil, SoCal, Texaco, Gulf, BP, Shell) that dominated the global industry from the 1920s to the 1970s, controlling most of the world's petroleum reserves and influencing global politics, with their modern descendants forming today's Big Oil giants like ExxonMobil and Chevron. These companies, including predecessors like Anglo-Persian (now BP) and Jersey Standard, wielded immense power, dictating production and prices before OPEC emerged to challenge them.
 


Which country refines the most oil?

The United States has historically been the largest oil refiner by capacity, but China is rapidly closing the gap and is expected to overtake the U.S. soon, with both countries leading the world in processing crude oil into usable fuels and petrochemicals. In recent years, China's refining volumes have reached record highs, challenging the U.S. dominance in the sector, with Russia and India also significant global players. 

Who controlled 90% of the oil industry?

Rockefeller, founder and largest shareholder of the Standard Oil Company, controlled more than 90 percent of U.S. oil production, dominating the world market.

What is the richest oil company?

The richest and largest oil company in the world is Saudi Aramco, the state-owned Saudi Arabian oil giant, consistently leading by market capitalization (approaching $2 trillion), highest revenue, and massive production volume (over 10 million barrels daily). It's far larger than competitors like ExxonMobil, controlling vast reserves and significantly influencing global energy markets, making it the undisputed energy titan. 


Who is bigger, Shell or Exxon?

ExxonMobil regularly reports the highest revenue of any Big Oil company. In its 2024 fiscal year, it generated roughly 350 billion U.S. dollars, which was around 70 billion more than its closest competitor Shell.