Where Does Our Oil Come From?
Petroleum independence is a matter of national as well as economic security, and should be a priority in U.S. public policy. Our nation’s dependence on imported foreign oil is at an all-time high and growing — especially within the transportation sector.

• Over 20 million barrels of petroleum are used each day in the U.S., 57% of which come from foreign oil sources.
• Over 13 million barrels, 65%, are used for transportation.
• Almost a quarter of our oil supply comes from the Persian Gulf Region, currently a tremendous security risk. 2

The Case for Petroleum Independence
Petroleum independence is not only  good for security, but also good for our economy. As a nation reliant on foreign oil imports, we remain at the mercy of rising fuel prices. Price spikes and supply disruptions have taken a toll on the U.S. economy, forcing companies into recession or bankruptcy and leading to soaring inflation. 2 Our dependence on foreign oil has lost the U.S. more than a million domestic jobs in the last 30 years. 2 Not to mention the loss of millions of dollars in tax revenues. 2 Add to that the military cost of protecting U.S. sources of Persian Gulf oil and the total cost comes to $300 billion a year. 2

We can bring more security, more jobs and more revenue home, by relying instead on alternative fuels available domestically. A large percentage of alternative fuels and their technologies are produced in the U.S. Supporting these fuels and technologies also supports American businesses and job creation.

Real Alternatives
The truth is that most vehicles require at least some petroleum to operate. Even some alternative fuels like ethanol and biodiesel are blended with petroleum. Very few fueling options allow us to eliminate the need for, and use of, petroleum altogether. One such solution is natural gas. What’s more, 85% of natural gas is produced in the U.S. with the balance coming largely from Canada. And yet, currently no federal government support is provided for petroleum substitutes like natural gas.

Learn how solutions like natural gas provide a petroleum substitute and a path to petroleum independence.

1. New Work State Energy Facts, NYSERDA, 2002
2. INFORM Report, Fall/Winter 2004, Vol 24, No. 3

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