Petroleum in the United States
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This article is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. (July 2009) |
Petroleum in the United States has been a major industry since shortly after the oil discovery in the Oil Creek area of Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859. As of 2008, the US was the world's third-largest oil producer (after Saudi Arabia and Russia), producing 8.5 million barrels of oil and natural gas liquids per day.[1] The leading oil-producing area in the US in 2008 was the federal zone of the Gulf of Mexico, which produced 1.15 million barrels (183,000 m3) per day, followed by Texas (1.09 million barrels (173,000 m3) per day), Alaska (0.68 million barrels (108,000 m3) per day) and California (0.59 million barrels (94,000 m3) per day).[2]
In 2008, petroleum was the largest source of energy in the US, providing 38% of the energy consumed (an additional 24% was from natural gas).[3] In 2008 the US consumed 19.5 million barrels (3,100,000 m3) per day of petroleum products, of which 46% was gasoline, 20% diesel fuel and heating oil, and 10% liquified petroleum gas.[4] The US imports 49% of the petroleum it uses.[5] The largest sources of US imported oil are (in descending order): Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, and Venezuela.[6]
More than 1.8 million people work in the US petroleum industry, which includes the production, processing, transportation, and marketing of natural gas and petroleum products.[7]
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History [edit]
Although some oil was produced commercially before 1859 as a byproduct from salt brine wells, the American oil industry started on a major scale with the discovery of oil at the Drake Well in western Pennsylvania in 1859.
US crude oil production peaked in 1970 at 9.64 million barrels (1,533,000 m3) per day. 2008 production was 4.95 million barrels (787,000 m3) per day of crude oil (not including natural gas liquids).
US natural gas production peaked in 1973 at 22.6 trillion cubic feet (6.4×1011 m3), declined to a low of 16.9×1012 cu ft (480 km3) in 1986, then rose again to 21.3×1012 cu ft (600 km3) in 2008.
- Pennsylvanian oil rush
- Office of Naval Petroleum and Oil Shale Reserves
- Petroleum Administration for Defense District
- Texas wildcatters
Exploration [edit]
Each year tens of thousands of wells are drilled in search of oil and gas in the US. In 2009, 36,243 wells were drilled.
Statistics [edit]
The Energy Information Administration of the United States Department of Energy publishes extensive statistics on the production, importation, and uses of petroleum in the United States.[8]
In 1913 the United States was extracting 65% of the world's petroleum.[citation needed]
In 1989 the U.S. contained only 5% of the world's oil reserves.[citation needed]
Politics [edit]
Policy [edit]
Environmental issues [edit]
Organizations [edit]
- American Association of Petroleum Geologists
- American Petroleum Institute
- Nevada Petroleum Society
- Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association
- Virginia Petroleum Convenience and Grocery Association
See also [edit]
- Energy conservation in the United States
- Energy in the United States
- History of the petroleum industry in the United States
- The Petroleum Dictionary (book)
- Shale gas in the United States
References [edit]
- ^ US Energy Information Administration
- ^ US Energy Information Administration
- ^ US Energy Information Administration,Overview, accessed 19 February 2010.
- ^ US Energy Information Administration,Product supplied, accessed 19 February 2010.
- ^ US Energy Information Administration, Petroleum statistics, accessed 18 February 2010.
- ^ US Energy Information Administration,US imports by country of origin, accessed 18 February 2010.
- ^ American Petroleum Institute, Industry sectors, accessed 20 February 2010.
- ^ "Petroleum and Other Liquids". Energy Information Administration, United States Department of Energy. Retrieved 2011-09-08.
External links [edit]
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