Economic Recession a Blip on Oil Consumption’s Upward Climb. World Consumed 87.4 Million Barrels Per Day in 2010. Washington, D.C. - Global oil consumption reached an all-time high of 87.4 million barrels per day in 2010, according to a new Vital Signs Online report from the Worldwatch Institute. The 3.1 percent increase more than makes up for the brief decline in consumption caused by the economic crisis.