EIA predicts petroleum, natural gas to be most-used fuels through 2050

EIA predicts petroleum, natural gas to be most-used fuels through 2050

Monday, March 21, 2022 by Sara Welch

Petroleum and natural gas will remain the most consumed energy sources through 2050, according to the U.S Energy Information Administration’s Annual Energy Outlook 2022.

Petroleum will continue to be the most used energy source as industrial sector energy consumption is expected to grow more than twice as fast as any other end-use sector from 2021 to 2050. Additionally, petroleum will remain a major fuel for transportation and non-manufacturing industries such as agriculture, construction, mining and for refining processes.

Natural gas consumption is expected to keep growing, primarily driven by expectations that natural gas prices will remain low compared with historical levels. It will also see growth being used as a feedstock primarily by chemical industries.

Learn more: U.S Energy Information Administration > Petroleum and natural gas are the most-used fuels in the United States through 2050

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Shale FAQ

What is fracking?

Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.

Is it safe?

What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.

Will my water catch on fire?

Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.

View Entire FAQ

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