<p><a href="https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-03-12/the-world-oil-supply-is-infinite-i-know-that-because-i-believe-it/" rel="noreferrer">Cumulative world oil production at the end of 2017 was approximately 1.36 trillion barrels</a>.</p>

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2019-02-05T23:26:54.330Z
2019-02-05T23:26:54.330Z
Keith McClary
<p>According to this article from 2015 <a href="https://www.seeker.com/how-much-oil-is-left-on-earth-1792718444.html" rel="noreferrer">How much oil is left on Earth</a></p>

<p>1.5 trillion barrels of crude oil reserves were left in the world by end 2015</p>

<p>But how much oil was already consumed worldwide since it was started to use massively in the mid 19th century? Is it most of it or a small part of it?</p>

<p>PS: I'm not sure if this question is for Earth Science SE or for Economy SE, if you think it's in the wrong SE please move it. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-06T01:48:20.537Z
The first petroleum wells were drilled about 1890. Before that oil was accidentally found a few times when drilling water wells. So there was certainly not massive use of petroleum in the mid  19 th century
blacksmith37
<petroleum>
How much oil was consumed worldwide since it was started to use massively in the mid 19th century?
Pablo
# How much oil was consumed worldwide since it was started to use massively in the mid 19th century?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-02-05)

According to this article from 2015 [How much oil is left on Earth](https://www.seeker.com/how-much-oil-is-left-on-earth-1792718444.html)

1.5 trillion barrels of crude oil reserves were left in the world by end 2015

But how much oil was already consumed worldwide since it was started to use massively in the mid 19th century? Is it most of it or a small part of it?

PS: I'm not sure if this question is for Earth Science SE or for Economy SE, if you think it's in the wrong SE please move it.

**Tags:** petroleum

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The first petroleum wells were drilled about 1890. Before that oil was accidentally found a few times when drilling water wells. So there was certainly not massive use of petroleum in the mid  19 th century  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-02-05. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

[Cumulative world oil production at the end of 2017 was approximately 1.36 trillion barrels](https://www.resilience.org/stories/2018-03-12/the-world-oil-supply-is-infinite-i-know-that-because-i-believe-it/).


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