Rigzone: Natural Gas, Other Production Sources Rise as Oil Declines

Overall, U.S. primary energy production in 2009 fell .6 percent to 73.0 quadrillion Btu, down from the record high of 73.4 quadrillion Btu the previous year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Annual Energy Review 2009.

The U.S. energy production mix from 1989 to 2009 shifted as natural gas production, coal, nuclear and renewable energy sources such as wind grew, while oil production declined from 1989 to 2009.

Most energy produced in the U.S. from 1949 to 2009 has been fossil fuels, including coal, natural gas and oil. Coal, the leading production source at the middle of the 20th century, was surpassed by crude and then natural gas. By the mid-1980s, coal again became the leading energy source produced in the U.S., and crude oil declined sharply. In the 1970s, electricity produced from nuclear fuel began to make a significant contribution and expanded rapidly in the following decades.

During the 60-year time period, the U.S. almost always produced more than enough coal for its own requirements. For many years, the country also was self-sufficient in natural gas, but after 1967, it produced less than it consumed each year. Petroleum production also rell far short of domestic demands, requiring the country to rely on imported supplies.

Since the 1950s, the U.S. has imported more energy than it exported. In 2009, the U.S. imported 30 quadrillion Btu of energy and exported 7 quadrillion Btu. Petroleum comprised the majority of energy resources imported into the U.S., and since 1986, gas imports have expanded rapidly as well.

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