Powering the Future: A Scientist’s Guide to Energy Independence

1. Oil

Figure 1.1 A modern oil-drilling ocean platform. Platform Holly, a few miles off the coast from Santa Barbara California, was installed in 1966 and has produced oil since. (Source: Linda Krop, Environmental Defense Center, Santa Barbara, CA)

Key facts

• Worldwide, people use about 30 billion barrels of oil a year, which works out to 210 gallons per person. The worldwide total is expected to increase to 50 billion barrels a year—350 gallons per man, woman, and child—in the next few decades.

• In 2005, the United States used 28% of all the oil consumed in the world.

• In recent years, the United States consumed about 7.5 billion barrels ...