Energy 101 - Part 1 Consumption

The United States consumed 20.7 million barrels per day (MMbd) of petroleum products during 2006 making us the world’s largest oil consumer. The United States produces 10% of the world’s oil and consumes 24%.

The United States was third in crude oil production at 5.1 MMbd. In addition to crude oil, significant contributions to U.S. petroleum supplies came from natural gas plant liquids, refinery gain, and alcohol fuels. However, we still needed 13.7 MMbd of imported crude oil and petroleum products to meet U.S. demand. The United States also exported 1.3 MMbd of crude oil and petroleum products during 2006, so our net imports (imports minus exports) equaled 12.4 MMbd or about 60% of our needs.

Petroleum products imported by the United States during 2006 included gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil, jet fuel, chemical feedstocks, asphalt, and other products. Still, most petroleum products consumed in the United States were refined here. Net imports of petroleum other than crude oil were 17% of the oil consumed in the United States during 2006.