Manya Rathore
Research expert covering India
Energy imports to the U.S. - statistics & facts
The United States is a net exporter of energy. 2019 was the first year in a half century that the U.S. produced more energy than it consumed and was able to export greater volumes of primary energy than it needed to import. This is the result of increased domestic oil and natural gas production as well as greater use of renewables, and a decline in primary energy demand. Energy consumption came to 94.65 exajoules in 2019.
Nevertheless, the U.S. is still one of the leading importers of crude oil – the largest source of primary energy. Proponents of energy independence argue for the need to explore the country’s untapped domestic oil reserves as well as removing limitations on oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, the Arctic, and the Outer Continental Shelf. However, environmental and economic concerns are strong contenders against increasing oil production and exploration.
As a result of increased domestic production, petroleum imports into the U.S. fell to an estimated low of 9.1 million barrels per day in 2019. The majority of petroleum supplied came from Canada, while OPEC countries only accounted for a daily import volume of 1.6 million barrels.
Canada is also the largest supplier of natural gas. Pipelines transported 2.69 trillion cubic feet of natural gas into the country in 2019. Meanwhile, liquefied natural gas imports came to 76.5 billion cubic feet in 2018, a significant decrease from a peak of 770.8 billion cubic feet brought into the country via LNG terminals in 2007.
Apart from pipelines connecting the U.S. to its neighbors, it also has multiple transmission links to both Canada and Mexico. In 2018, the U.S. imported 58.26 terawatt hours of electricity.
Nevertheless, the U.S. is still one of the leading importers of crude oil – the largest source of primary energy. Proponents of energy independence argue for the need to explore the country’s untapped domestic oil reserves as well as removing limitations on oil exploration in the Gulf of Mexico, the Arctic, and the Outer Continental Shelf. However, environmental and economic concerns are strong contenders against increasing oil production and exploration.
As a result of increased domestic production, petroleum imports into the U.S. fell to an estimated low of 9.1 million barrels per day in 2019. The majority of petroleum supplied came from Canada, while OPEC countries only accounted for a daily import volume of 1.6 million barrels.
Canada is also the largest supplier of natural gas. Pipelines transported 2.69 trillion cubic feet of natural gas into the country in 2019. Meanwhile, liquefied natural gas imports came to 76.5 billion cubic feet in 2018, a significant decrease from a peak of 770.8 billion cubic feet brought into the country via LNG terminals in 2007.
Apart from pipelines connecting the U.S. to its neighbors, it also has multiple transmission links to both Canada and Mexico. In 2018, the U.S. imported 58.26 terawatt hours of electricity.
