The International Energy Agency revised upward next year’s forecast for global oil demand Wednesday, following a tamer prediction in October.

Growing Chinese demand was the main driver behind the prediction that the globe would consume an average of 90.5 million barrels of oil daily in 2013.

The revised figure, should it come to pass, would represent an additional 865,000 barrels of consumption each day.

The rise in consumption is expected across all regions with the exception of Europe, which officially entered recession last month for the second time in four years.

By John Power (john.power@heraldcorp.com)