The United States of America is the world's largest energy producer, consumer, and net importer. It ranks eleventh worldwide in reserves of oil, sixth in natural gas, and first in coal. So does that mean the United States has an energy security, or does that mean the United States is in need of energy security? That is hard to say without looking at some recent statistics and investigating a little closer on what the United States has and use in terms of energy and where they stand now and in the future. .
As of January 1, 2001, the United States had 21.8 billion barrels of oil on reserve, which is twelfth highest in the world. However over 80% these reserves are concentrated in four states -- Texas (25% including the state's reserves in the Gulf of Mexico), Alaska (24%), California (21%), and Louisiana (14% including the state's reserves in the Gulf of Mexico). United States proven oil reserves have declined by around 20% since 1990, with the largest single-year decline (1.6 billion barrels) occurring in 1991. .
During 2000, the United States produced around 8.1 million barrels per day of oil, of which 5.83 million barrels per day was crude oil, and the rest natural gas liquids and other liquids. U.S. total oil production in 2000 was down sharply around 2.5 million barrels per day, or 24% from the 10.6 million barrels per day averaged in 1985. U.S. oil production declined sharply following the oil price collapse of late 1985 and early 1986. The decline rate appears now to have eased off somewhat. .
U.S. crude production for 2000 represented the lowest annual U.S. crude oil output since 1950. U.S. crude oil production, which declined following the oil price collapse of late 1985 and early 1986, leveled off in the mid-1990s, and began falling again following the sharp decline in oil prices of late 1997 and early 1998. With the rebound in world oil prices since March 1999, U.S. crude production appears to be leveling off once again.
