Petroleum is the most used fuel source in the United States, with a consumption level of 35.43 quadrillion British thermal units in 2023. Natural gas is the second-most common fuel source, with consumption levels rising closer to that of petroleum over recent years.
Petroleum use post-financial crisis
Petroleum in the United States is primarily used for fueling the transportation sector, generating heat and electricity, as well as in the production of plastics. U.S. consumption of petroleum was at its highest before the 2008 global financial crisis, when the price of crude oil rose dramatically. Petroleum consumption began to increase again in 2013, before dropping significantly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rise of natural gas
While petroleum consumption has been lower in the last decade than in the early 2000s, the use of natural gas has risen significantly. Natural gas consumption in the United States has seen record highs in recent years, in part due to lower costs and its growing popularity. The U.S. currently produces more natural gas than any country in the world, followed by Russia.
Energy consumption in the United States from coal, nuclear sources, natural gas and petroleum, between 2000 and 2023
(in quadrillion British thermal units)
* Natural gas only; excludes supplemental gaseous fuels.
** Includes coal coke net imports.
Totals may not equal sum of components due to independent rounding.
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EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration). (April 25, 2024). Energy consumption in the United States from coal, nuclear sources, natural gas and petroleum, between 2000 and 2023 (in quadrillion British thermal units) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved December 21, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/183793/energy-consumption-from-selected-sources-in-the-us-since-1999/
EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration). "Energy consumption in the United States from coal, nuclear sources, natural gas and petroleum, between 2000 and 2023 (in quadrillion British thermal units)." Chart. April 25, 2024. Statista. Accessed December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/183793/energy-consumption-from-selected-sources-in-the-us-since-1999/
EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration). (2024). Energy consumption in the United States from coal, nuclear sources, natural gas and petroleum, between 2000 and 2023 (in quadrillion British thermal units). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: December 21, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/183793/energy-consumption-from-selected-sources-in-the-us-since-1999/
EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration). "Energy Consumption in The United States from Coal, Nuclear Sources, Natural Gas and Petroleum, between 2000 and 2023 (in Quadrillion British Thermal Units)." Statista, Statista Inc., 25 Apr 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/183793/energy-consumption-from-selected-sources-in-the-us-since-1999/
EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration), Energy consumption in the United States from coal, nuclear sources, natural gas and petroleum, between 2000 and 2023 (in quadrillion British thermal units) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/183793/energy-consumption-from-selected-sources-in-the-us-since-1999/ (last visited December 21, 2024)
Energy consumption in the United States from coal, nuclear sources, natural gas and petroleum, between 2000 and 2023 (in quadrillion British thermal units) [Graph], EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration), April 25, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/183793/energy-consumption-from-selected-sources-in-the-us-since-1999/
