US oil consumption grew 1.5 Mb/d in 2021, the most of any country, still 4% below 2019 levels, while refining capacity was 1 Mb/d lower than 2019. Emissions bounced back as well in 2021 but remain 6% below 2019 levels at 5.2 GtCO2e
Fast facts
The US remained the world's largest oil and gas producer, accounting for almost 20% and almost 23% of the world's output of those fuels, respectively
LNG exports increased by more than 50% and accounted for almost 20% of global LNG trade
Renewables' share (excluding hydro) in the power mix increased to 14% last year as solar and wind generation increased by 25% and 12%, respectively
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Increase in US primary energy consumption
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Share of global LNG exports
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Decrease in refining capacity
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Decrease in natural gas flaring
At a glance
Primary energy consumption increased by 5.3%. The largest absolute increase was in oil at 2.8 EJ. Despite the increase in energy use, natural gas consumption stayed roughly flat.
Energy consumption per capita increased from 2020 but fell over 3% since 2019. The rate of decline over the past decade has been around half the rate of decline seen during the previous decade to 2011.
Renewables (including hydro) accounted for 11% of primary energy consumption.
Electricity generation bounced back to levels of 2019, but the fossil fuel share declined 2pp to 61%.
Gas’s share of the power mix fell to below 40%, while coal’s share increased 3 percentage points to 22%, the second largest increase in coal-fired generation globally.
Oil production rebounded only slightly in 2021, still 3% below 2019 levels, as producers retained capital discipline.
US refining capacity has fallen by 1 Mb/d since 2019, with most of the closures taking place in 2020.
Production of natural gas increased by 2% to over 90 Bcf/d (934 Bcm) as the US remains the world’s largest producer.
Despite the increase in gas production, gas flaring fell sharply by 22% to around 1 Bcf/d (9.7 Bcm).
Renewable energy generation grew by 77 TWh in 2021, three times as much as in Europe, but less than a third of the growth seen in China.
Net LNG exports increased to 9.1 Bcf/d (94 Bcm) in 2021, 50% higher than 2020. US LNG exports now account for 18.4% of global LNG trade, up from 1% just five years ago.
Net CO2e emissions from energy, methane, flaring, and industrial processes rose by 6.1% to 5.2 billion tonnes in 2021 but remain 6% lower than 2019 levels.
