You can hardly blame Americans for believing that the vast majority of our oil imports come from the Middle East. Ever since the 1973 oil crisis, when Middle Eastern countries refused to sell oil to the United States as punishment for backing Israel in that year’s Arab-Israeli war, the American political conversation has dominated by calls for “weening ourselves off of MidEast oil.” What most Americans don’t know is that we’ve mostly succeeded.
The University of Texas, as part of its annual energy poll, asked Americans where they think US oil comes from. A staggering 58 percent of Americans think that our top source of foreign oil is Saudi Arabia and another 15 percent say it’s Iraq — nearly three quarters of Americans. Meanwhile, only a tiny share — 15 percent of Americans — think we get most of our oil imports from Canada or Mexico. But the truth is almost the exact opposite: we get far more oil from our North American neighbors than we do from the Middle East:
University of Texas at Austin energy poll
It turns out that America’s biggest source of oil, by far, is Canada. Along with Mexico, the two North American neighbors provide 39 percent of US oil imports. That goes up to 50 percent if you add in Venezuela. The Middle East, meanwhile, provides a lot less: Saudi Arabia and Iraq provide just 22 percent of US oil imports. Less than a quarter!
This matters. If the vast majority of Americans think we’re so much more reliant on Middle Eastern oil than we actually are, they’re going to push for policies they may not want if they knew the truth. America’s foreign policy and energy policy are already problematic enough without being distorted by the vast public misperceptions. As the energy poll’s director wrote when the results first came out in October, “Our attitudes eventually shape future policy decisions and define global energy priorities.”
westexas on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 12:31 pm
Meanwhile, combined net exports from Canada + Mexico fell from 2.5 mbpd in 2004 to 2.2 mbpd in 2012 (EIA, total petroleum liquids + other liquids).
And combined net exports from the (2004) seven major net exporters in the Americas fell from 5.9 mbpd in 2004 to 5.0 mbpd in 2012.
Bob Owens on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 1:50 pm
Is this Earth Day or Oil Day?
rockman on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 2:21 pm
I mentioned once before about a comment I heard from another “expert” back in the late 70’s crisis: “We don’t need more oil wells. What we need are more gasoline wells.” Sadly a true story.
foxv on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 2:39 pm
Aren’t all days oil days? XD
But seriously I wish they put a bit more emphasis on the fact that the US’s biggest source of oil, is in actual fact the US itself at 40%
Not sure where I’m going with this but it just irks me when these “reality check” articles miss the reality that the US is the world’s 3rd largest oil producer. I wonder what “global energy priorities” the American public would push for if they realized that little fact.
DC on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 3:40 pm
Bizzare, amerika isnt trying to control the ME’s oil because of any short-term ‘need'(in the homeland) for oil from that region. Amerika seeks to control the *worlds* supply of oil-who gets it, and at what cost-and at what rate.The u$’s ‘policy’ is about keeping the empire the reigning global hegemon first, and supplying oil to amerikas soccer moms and Wall Mart second. That (large) issue aside though, what does the author think would happen to the u$ ‘economy’ if it had to get by with 22% less oil that it does now? If that were to occur, I bet the author would quite caviler about dismissing that 22%, but thats just me.
@Bob Touche..
Jimmy on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 4:38 pm
Most Americans couldn’t find Florida on a world map. Ukraine either for that matter.
GregT on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 6:59 pm
“Most Americans don’t know where their oil comes from”
Sure they do. It comes from those little plastic bottles, right beside the machines that they put their credit cards in, that the gas comes from.
Duh!
Makati1 on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 9:25 pm
The real truth is: “Most Americans don’t know…”
Ask them about their favorite team, movie star, or singer and you will get a flood of trivia. Ask them anything about the real world they live in and you will get a blank stare. Just like sheep when you stick them with a pitchfork to get them to move. You just get a blank stare.
GregT on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 10:22 pm
I watched a documentary a while back. They did a survey of school aged children, both in Canada and the US. On average, the children identified over 100 corporate logos, but couldn’t identify 10 species of plants or birds, in their own back yards.
I found that very sad.
Davy, Hermann, MO on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 10:34 pm
OK, why are the Americans the focus what about the rest of the idiot world.
GregT on Tue, 22nd Apr 2014 10:55 pm
Davy,
Canadians are pretty much brainwashed as well. Sorry bud, you guys don’t have a monopoly.
Makati1 on Wed, 23rd Apr 2014 2:54 am
Davy, I can tell you from experience that ‘the rest of the world’ is a lot more educated about the real world than Americans. They get real educations because eduction is still a desired experience in the rest of the world. Not something to be endured for 12 years. I saw the dumbing down first hand when my kids were in school 20 years ago, and I am sure it is worse now. I can talk to Filipinos about world subjects and get a lot better feed back than I do from my own kids and grand kids.
action on Wed, 23rd Apr 2014 7:22 am
What composes the quarter of the supply labeled “other”?
Davey on Wed, 23rd Apr 2014 8:02 am
BS Mak, the world over has different emphasis. Just cause you watch TV and lived in PA does not mean you know the US. If the rest of the world is so frigen smart why is it a mess MAK?
Makati1 on Wed, 23rd Apr 2014 9:38 am
Davey, maybe if the US stopped messing in all of the countries they can, the world would NOT be in a mess. And which mess are you talking about? The financial mess caused by the FED printing or the wars of terrorism sponsored by the DC mafia, or the beating of the war drums in the Middle east, eastern Europe or the shores of China?
Why is the Us ranked 10th in the world in education ages 3-25 if it is so good?
“…Japan remains the favors to be selected as the world’s best education system in 2014. Followed by the United Kingdom, South Korea, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Canada, and the United States…”
http://www.pressbox.co.uk/Education/First_Quarter_Ranking_of_the_World_s_Best_Educated_Countries_in_2014_was_Published_this_month__1469368.html
Makati1 on Wed, 23rd Apr 2014 9:45 am
LOL as for knowing the Us school systems, my wife worked in the district office as the assistant to the principle for 30 years and I put 4 kids through US school systems. I know where the dead dogs are buried.
And, I have not watched any TV in 16 years. I get my education on the internet and travel. I’ve seen much of the US over the last 50 years. How much have you seen? Do you even have a passport? I’ve been to London, Paris, Dubai, Hong Kong and Tokyo over the last 8 years. Not to mention dozens of cities from coast to coast in the Us. How many have you visited?
Davey on Wed, 23rd Apr 2014 10:08 am
Mak being an ex 1%er I am sure covered as much or more ground then you. Mak it is not that simple on the education front. Plenty of highly educated people in the states. There is no need from some of them to be highly educated because they are poor and have menial jobs with no future. I am not impresses with your argument. The rest of the world has good and bad on the education front nothing to get all excited about. Statistics and subjective arguements do not convince me like they apparently do you. Do a little deeper research to find the subtle differences.
Makati1 on Wed, 23rd Apr 2014 8:16 pm
“Covered,” as in past tense, is not the last 8 years of the new world. But, you have your view of the world and I have mine. Not going to change.
The US is doomed because it has become a country of ‘I want more’ and to get that the US has tried to conquer the world. Well, the world is pushing back now and the days of the Empire are waning. I’m sure a lot of Romans were like you in the last days. Refusing to see reality because it interfered with their comfortable life in their villas. But it ended anyway.
Next week I go back to the States for my next visit to my family and I am not anxious to see the changes that are always apparent every two years. They are always negative. We shall see.