Spain Oil Refining Market Overview, 2030

Spain’s oil refining industry is dominated by two major players, Cepsa and Repsol, which together control the majority of the country’s refining capacity. The key refinery sites are located in Huelva, Cartagena, and Bilbao, each serving strategic roles in processing crude and supplying refined fuels domestically and for export. Spain’s refineries act as important exporters of refined petroleum products, particularly to North African countries and neighboring European markets. The industry’s integration extends beyond refining, with significant links to the chemicals sector and power generation facilities, enabling efficient use of by-products and enhancing overall energy system flexibility. Over the years, Spain’s refining sector has evolved in response to shifting market demands and regulatory changes, focusing increasingly on environmental compliance and operational optimization. Geopolitical developments, such as OPEC+ production decisions and disruptions in global crude supply chains, have impacted crude availability and refining economics, requiring flexibility in feedstock sourcing. Additionally, the sector faces pressure from Spain’s commitment to the European Green Deal, driving the transition toward lower carbon intensity fuels and increased renewable energy integration. These trends coincide with ongoing challenges posed by aging refinery infrastructure and the need for modernization to meet stricter emissions standards. The refinery landscape in Spain balances traditional petroleum processing with emerging clean energy initiatives, positioning itself to navigate the evolving energy transition while maintaining its role as a key regional supplier.

According to the research report ""Spain Oil Refining Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the Spain Oil Refining market is anticipated to grow at more than 3.96% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. Spain’s oil refining sector is one of the most developed in Southern Europe, with a total crude oil distillation capacity of approximately 1.24 million barrels per day across nine refineries, making it the fourth-largest refining system in the European Union. The country’s refining operations are controlled mainly by Repsol, CEPSA, and BP, with Repsol operating five large-scale complexes in Cartagena, Tarragona, La Coruña, Puertollano, and Bilbao. The Cartagena refinery, one of the most advanced in Europe, has a capacity of over 220,000 barrels per day, and includes deep-conversion units like delayed cokers and hydrocrackers, enabling it to process heavy sour crudes efficiently. Spain imports 100% of its crude oil, with key suppliers in Nigeria, Mexico, Iraq, Brazil, and Libya. In 2023, Nigeria was the largest supplier, accounting for 16.6% of Spain’s crude imports, followed by Mexico at 13.3% and Iraq at 10.3%. Spain’s refining sector processes a wide range of crude grades, from light sweet to heavy sour, allowing flexibility in operations amid global price fluctuations. The INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística) reported that Spanish refineries processed over 53 million tons of crude oil in 2023. Products include diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, LPG, asphalt, and lubricants, with diesel accounting for the highest output share. Refined products are distributed via pipelines, coastal shipping, and truck fleets, with key storage and terminal infrastructure managed by CLH (now Exolum). The refining industry supports a broad downstream network that integrates petrochemicals, fuel retailing, and exports to nearby countries like France, Portugal, and Italy, especially from Mediterranean ports. Domestic demand fluctuations are absorbed by refinery configuration adjustments and imports of finished products through ports like Algeciras, Barcelona, and Bilbao.

Diesel remains the dominant refined fuel type in Spain despite ongoing policy efforts to promote cleaner energy and reduce diesel consumption in urban centers. It continues to be the main fuel for freight transport, logistics, and industrial machinery across the country, particularly supporting sectors like construction and agriculture. Jet fuel demand has shown a strong rebound aligned with the recovery of Spain’s tourism industry, with major airports such as Madrid-Barajas and Barcelona-El Prat experiencing increased passenger volumes and cargo flights. Asphalt consumption remains stable, driven by significant public works projects, including the expansion and maintenance of RENFE rail lines and the AVE high-speed train networks. Gasoline consumption is concentrated in urban areas and smaller passenger vehicles, with volumes fluctuating due to gradual shifts toward electric vehicles but still significant given Spain’s car ownership rates. LPG usage is important in residential heating and cooking, especially in island regions like the Canary Islands and rural areas where natural gas pipelines are limited. Fuel oil use is declining as power generation transitions away from heavy fuels toward renewables and gas. Lubricants and specialty oils sustain demand from automotive and manufacturing industries. Recent developments include increased refinery production of ultra-low sulfur diesel and biofuel blending mandates under EU regulations, alongside trials in co-processing renewable feedstocks such as vegetable oils to comply with Spain’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector.

Diesel dominates due to its role in powering freight trucks, long‑distance buses, and private vehicles across extensive motorway networks linking cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, and Bilbao. Aviation fuel demand is driven by heavy tourism flows and international connectivity through airports like Madrid‑Barajas, Barcelona, and Tenerife, keeping jet fuel consumption elevated, especially during summer and holiday seasons. Marine bunkering is significant at coastal terminals in Algeciras, Cartagena, and Valencia, supplying low‑sulfur marine fuels to vessels in Mediterranean and Atlantic trade routes. The petrochemical industry in Spain centered around sites like Tarragona, Cartagena, and Puertollano relies on naphtha and middle distillates derived from refining for plastics, chemicals, and lubricants production, often at facilities integrated with refineries. Residential and commercial use of LPG remains prevalent in rural areas and island communities lacking natural gas infrastructure. Electricity generation from refined fuels is limited, constrained mostly to backup diesel generators used in remote or island regions during peak demand or grid interruptions. In other sectors, rail is largely electrified, but diesel engines serve freight and remote lines, while agricultural machinery consumes diesel in farming regions such as Andalusia and Castilla‑La Mancha. Domestic waterway fuel use is minimal but present in minor riverine freight activity. This diversified application base reflects Spain’s balanced refined fuel dependency across transport, industrial, and residential demand.

Spain’s refining feedstock primarily consists of imported crude oil, as domestic production is negligible under 1,000 metric tons in 2023. Key suppliers include the United States, Mexico, and Brazil , which together accounted for over a third of Spain’s crude imports in 2023 . Almost all of Spain’s eight mainland refineries operated by Repsol, Cepsa, and BP are coastal, allowing seamless marine crude supply; the inland Puertollano facility connects via pipeline from Cartagena. Spain processes a range of light‑to‑medium crude grades compatible with its medium-high complexity units. Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs) are used modestly, mainly for domestic LPG blending rather than as refinery feedstocks. Biomass feedstocks have negligible use in traditional refining but are gaining traction in advanced biofuels development. For instance, Repsol’s Cartagena refinery hosts Spain’s first advanced biofuels plant, designed to process waste oils and agricultural residues into renewable diesel and bio‑jet fuel, reducing around 900,000 tCO₂ per year. The others category, such as coal tar or heavy residuals, is minimal; Spain focuses on cleaner byproducts and value-added lubricant production through integrated petrochemical units. Feedstock logistics are underpinned by the CLH-managed pipeline network over 4,000 km long and storage terminals, creating a highly resilient system. Ongoing energy transition trends are stimulating pilot applications of biomethane and bio-based feeds in refining, although their share in the feedstock mix remains marginal at present.

Spain's refinery infrastructure exhibits medium-to-high complexity, with several facilities capable of advanced conversion and residue upgrading. Modern refineries such as Repsol’s Cartagena and Tarragona and BP’s Castellón have invested substantially in deep processing units. Tarragona, for example, includes a hydrocracker instead of an FCC unit, enabling production of low-sulfur diesel and naphtha that feeds adjacent steam-cracker petrochemical plants. In operation since expansion in 2011, the Cartagena refinery handles up to 220,000 bpd with a conversion ratio of around 76% and includes hydrocracking, vacuum distillation, cokers, and a large lubricants facility. Some older or smaller refineries operate as hydro-skimming units, providing reforming and limited upgrading, mainly serving local or artisanal fuel markets. Topping refineries are virtually obsolete in Spain due to EU emissions mandates and market demands. The most complex plants classified under deep conversion integrate hydrocracking, delayed coking, reforming, alkylation, and desulfurization to process heavy or high-sulfur crudes into diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, and petrochemical precursors. These assets also co-locate with petrochemical producers to boost margin through integration. Recent investments drive digital upgrades, emissions monitoring systems, and hydrogen recovery to meet tightening EU standards and maintain competitiveness. Pilot operations in Spain’s refineries are also enabling Others complexity types: hybrid models co-processing bio-oils, renewable hydrogen, or waste feedstocks, through initiatives like Repsol’s biofuel plant in Cartagena and hydrogen partnerships with Acciona. This diversity and technological sophistication have kept Spain’s refining sector resilient, export-oriented, and aligned with Europe's evolving energy transition agenda.

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Oil Refining Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Fule Type
• Gasoline
• Diesel/Gasoil
• Jet Fuel
• LPG
• Fuel Oil
• Others (Lubricants, Asphalt)

By Application
• Road Transportation
• Aviation
• Marine Bunker
• Petrochemical Industry
• Residential & Commercial
• Electricity Generation
• Others (Rail & Domestic Waterways, Agriculture)

By Feedstock
• Crude Oil
• Natural Gas Liquids (NGLs)
• Biomass
• Others (Coal Tar, etc.)

By Complexity Type
• Topping
• Hydro-skimming
• Conversion
• Deep Conversion
• Others Show more