Slide 8 of 30
- The per capita (per person) use of petroleum decreased at an average annual rate of 0.5 percent during the past 25 years.
- The U.S. per capita use of petroleum decreased for 2 years and then increased to a peak of 31 barrels in 1978.
- From 1978 to 1983, petroleum use per capita in the United States dropped 23 percent, from a peak of 31.0 barrels. (During this period the population rose 5.5 percent.)
- From 1978 to 1983, the consumption of total petroleum in the United States declined almost 20 percent.
- From 1983 to 1988, crude prices declined in both real and nominal terms, and petroleum use per capita rose slightly. After 1988, petroleum use per person declined, leveling off at about 25 barrels per capita.
- Expansion of gas availability and environmental considerations in recent years helped stabilize per capita oil use-especially oil used for industrial and electricity production.
Source: Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Review 1997, DOE/EIA- 0384(97). (Washington, DC, July 1998), Tables 5.1 and 1.5.
