Source: Gail Tverberg—OurFiniteWorld.com
Figure 8.1 World per capita consumption of various fuelsThe three major fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal, which
together provided 87% of the total U.S. primary energy over the past decade—
have dominated the U.S. fuel mix for over 100 years.
The United States was energy independent until the late 1950s. At that time,
energy consumption began to outpace domestic production, which then led to oil
imports.