World primary energy production totaled 381 quadrillion Btu in 1997, 14 percent higher than in 1988. It was the sixth consecutive annual increase (see table), according to the latest edition of the Energy Information Administration's International Energy Annual. The five leading energy producers in 1997 were (in descending order) the United States, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, and Canada, which together supplied 49 percent of the world's total energy. World energy consumption increased by 13 percent over the period; however, the five leading consumers in 1997 were the United States, China, Russia, Japan, and Germany. They accounted for 51 percent of total consumption.
World Production of Primary Energy by Fuel, 1988-1997
(Quadrillion Btu)
Fuel |
1988 |
1989 |
1990 |
1991 |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Petroleum | 132.57 |
134.66 |
136.35 |
135.90 |
136.50 |
136.52 |
138.30 |
141.47 |
144.94 |
150.62 |
| Natural Gas | 71.91 |
74.47 |
76.10 |
76.72 |
76.94 |
78.35 |
79.10 |
80.27 |
84.06 |
84.26 |
| Coal | 89.58 |
91.02 |
92.27 |
87.67 |
88.41 |
86.31 |
88.48 |
90.14 |
91.54 |
92.20 |
| Hydroelectric Power | 21.92 |
21.72 |
22.59 |
22.98 |
22.98 |
24.35 |
24.52 |
25.85 |
26.11 |
26.35 |
| Nuclear Electric Power | 19.30 |
19.81 |
20.37 |
21.29 |
21.36 |
22.07 |
22.50 |
23.35 |
24.17 |
23.97 |
| Other | 0.66 |
0.66 |
3.54 |
3.58 |
3.77 |
3.81 |
3.90 |
3.91 |
4.08 |
3.94 |
Total |
335.93 |
342.34 |
351.22 |
348.13 |
349.96 |
351.42 |
356.79 |
364.99 |
374.89 |
381.34 |
Notes: · 1997 data are preliminary. · Other includes United States' production of biomass and geothermal, solar, and wind energy and the production of geothermal, solar, and wind electric power by other countries. · Sum of components may not equal total due to independent rounding.
Source: Energy Information Administration.
As it has for years, petroleum output made up the largest share of world energy production (39 percent). Petroleum production increased 9 million barrels a day (14 percent) from 1988 to 1997. Coal production, up 3 percent from the 1988 level, totaled 92 quadrillion Btu and accounted for 24 percent of primary energy production. Output of dry natural gas, which ranked third at 22 percent of the total, was 84 quadrillion Btu, 17 percent above output in 1988. Hydroelectric and nuclear electric power, which accounted for a combined 13 percent of primary energy production, were both more than 20 percent higher in 1997 than in 1988.
Regionally, energy production increased nearly everywhere from 1988 to 1997. Within regions, however, the increases varied in origin. The Far East and Oceania posted the largest increase, with coal accounting for 55 percent of it. Higher petroleum output led production increases in Africa, Central and South America, the Middle East, and Western Europe. Natural gas led North America's production increase, and it was the second leading contributor in all other regions except Central and South America. The production decline in Eastern Europe and the Former U.S.S.R. included all energy types but was led by sharp drops in petroleum and coal output.
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File last modified: April 27, 1999
