The transportation sector consumes more petroleum than any other sector, and that share has increased from about 50% in 1950 to about 70% in 2018.
August 12, 2019
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The transportation sector consumes more petroleum than any other sector, and that share has increased over time from about 50% in 1950 to about 70% in 2018. U.S. petroleum consumption increased threefold between 1950 and 2018, from 6.5 million to 20.5 million barrels per day. The industrial sector has remained the second-largest consumer of petroleum, accounting for about one quarter of all petroleum use, and that share has remained nearly the same over time. Electric utilities have consumed less than 1% of petroleum for the last 10 years.
Source: Energy Information Administration, May 2019 Monthly Energy Review, Washington, DC, May 2019, Tables 3.7a–3.7c.