U.S. Department of Energy - Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Vehicle Technologies Program

Fact #349: December 6, 2004
Crude Oil Production: OPEC, the Persian Gulf, and the United States

The Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) currently produces about 40% of total world oil production. Because so many OPEC members are in the Persian Gulf region, the oil production for the region mirrors the OPEC share. The United States is responsible for less than 10% of world oil production.

Graph showing the percentage of the world's oil production from the U.S., OPEC, and the Persian Gulf region from 1973 through the first seven months of 2004.

Supporting Information

World Crude Oil Production, 1973–2004
Year OPEC Share Persian Gulf Share United States Share World Crude Oil Production (thousand barrels per day)
1973 55.0% 37.1% 16.5% 55,679
1974 54.5% 38.2% 15.7% 55,716
1975 50.7% 35.8% 15.9% 52,828
1976 52.9% 37.5% 14.2% 57,344
1977 51.7% 36.4% 13.8% 59,707
1978 49.0% 34.3% 14.5% 60,158
1979 48.8% 33.6% 13.6% 62,674
1980 44.6% 30.1% 14.4% 59,600
1981 40.1% 27.2% 15.3% 56,076
1982 35.1% 22.7% 16.2% 53,481
1983 32.9% 20.8% 16.3% 53,256
1984 32.0% 19.8% 16.3% 54,489
1985 30.0% 17.8% 16.6% 53,982
1986 32.5% 20.8% 15.4% 56,227
1987 32.7% 21.4% 14.7% 56,666
1988 34.6% 22.9% 13.9% 58,737
1989 36.9% 24.8% 12.7% 59,863
1990 38.3% 25.2% 12.1% 60,566
1991 38.7% 24.5% 12.3% 60,207
1992 40.5% 26.5% 11.9% 60,213
1993 41.7% 27.7% 11.4% 60,236
1994 41.8% 27.8% 10.9% 60,991
1995 41.8% 27.6% 10.5% 62,335
1996 41.5% 27.3% 10.1% 63,711
1997 42.2% 27.5% 9.8% 65,690
1998 43.0% 28.9% 9.3% 66,921
1999 41.9% 28.3% 8.9% 65,848
2000 42.8% 29.1% 8.5% 68,342
2001 41.7% 28.1% 8.5% 67,942
2002 39.5% 26.6% 8.6% 66,842
2003 40.4% 27.8% 8.2% 69,301
2004* 41.2% 28.3% 7.6% 72,393

* First eight months of 2004.
Source: Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review November 2004, Table 11.1.

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