Check this out:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapc...

Think about this: with China's economy at $3.4 trillion and the US economy at $13.4 trillion, a growth rate of 13% in China would completely offset a decline of around 3.2% in the US.

Now obviously, these aren't the only two countries affecting the global economy and thus affecting oil demand, but this does illustrate an interesting concept: recession or not, global oil demand is not going to be dropping as preciptiously as some think, because a few economies out there are still in growth stages.