Ameer Randolph
Fossil fuels have been the primary source of energy for over 150 years, but their environmental impact has led to a growing movement to transition away from them. Fossil fuel consumption hit a record high in 2023, with coal, oil, and natural gas accounting for 82% of the global energy mix. Despite a growing demand for renewable energy sources, the amount of fossil fuel extracted and consumed continues to increase. Oil is extracted from underground reservoirs or deposits in shale and tar sands and is then processed into fuel oil, gasoline, and non-fuel products. Coal is primarily extracted through surface mining, which involves removing the top layers of soil and rock to access the coal. While some countries, like those in Europe, have reduced their consumption of fossil fuels, others, like the US, remain high consumers of coal and oil. The future of fossil fuel extraction is uncertain as the world moves towards sustainable renewable energy sources. To limit global warming, a sharp decline in fossil fuel extraction and consumption is necessary.
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What You'll Learn
How much fossil fuel is extracted globally each year?
Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas, have been the world's primary energy source for over 150 years. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for 82% of the global energy mix, with oil and coal making up a third and a quarter of global energy consumption, respectively. This means that the world consumed 82% of the fossil fuels extracted that year. While the exact amount of fossil fuels extracted globally each year is challenging to pinpoint, we can estimate it based on consumption data.
According to the Energy Institute's report, global primary energy consumption reached historic highs in 2023, driven by a spike in energy demand, particularly from the Global South. The world consumed 1.5% more fossil fuels in 2023 than in 2022, contributing to record-high carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This increase in fossil fuel consumption, especially coal, led to a 2% rise in CO2 emissions from 2022, reaching 40 gigatonnes.
The United States, the world's third-largest consumer of coal, provides some insights into fossil fuel consumption and production. In 2023, total U.S. primary energy consumption was about 94 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu). Fossil fuels, including petroleum, natural gas, and coal, dominated the U.S. energy mix for over a century. In 2023, petroleum accounted for about 38% (35 quads) of total U.S. energy consumption.
While the U.S. consumption data gives us a partial picture, it's important to note that fossil fuel consumption and production vary across countries and regions. Europe, for example, saw a dip in fossil fuel consumption below 70% for the first time in 2023. Additionally, renewable energy sources like solar, wind, and hydropower are gaining traction, with production and consumption reaching record highs in certain regions in 2023.
In summary, while the exact amount of fossil fuel extraction is challenging to determine, we can estimate it based on global consumption data. The world consumed approximately 82% of the fossil fuels extracted in 2023, with coal and oil being the dominant energy sources. The United States provides a partial picture of fossil fuel consumption and production dynamics, while also highlighting the increasing importance of renewable energy sources in the global energy mix.
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How much fossil fuel is extracted in the US?
Fossil fuels—including coal, oil, and natural gas—have been powering economies for over 150 years and currently supply about 80% of the world’s energy. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for about 84% of total US primary energy production.
In 2023, US fossil fuel production was about 102.83 quads, while consumption was 93.59 quads. Fossil fuels are the US's primary energy source, with petroleum, natural gas, and coal being the most common types. In 2023, coal production accounted for about 11% (11.81 quads) of US total energy production. The contribution of coal to total US energy consumption has declined from about 37% in 1950 to 9% in 2023, largely because the US electric power sector has increased its use of other energy sources and reduced coal consumption.
In 2022, net electricity generation in the US amounted to 4,243 terawatt-hours. Natural gas is the most common fuel type used for electricity generation. Combined with coal, fossil fuels account for 60% of all power production in the US. Oil is another one of the main energy sources in the US, predominantly used in the transportation sector as it is refined into petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel.
The future of oil beyond 2050 is uncertain as economies move away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable renewable energy. Hydropower, biomass, wind, geothermal, and solar energy are reliable sources of renewable energy and have been a growing part of the US energy mix.
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How much coal is extracted through mining?
Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its energy content and has been widely used to generate electricity since the 1880s. The steel and cement industries also use coal as fuel for iron extraction from iron ore and cement production. In 2020, coal supplied 19% of U.S. energy consumption. Globally, coal produced over a fourth of the world's energy by 2010 and was responsible for 30% of the world's energy consumption in 2023.
Coal mining methods vary depending on whether the mine is an underground mine or a surface (open cast/open-pit/mine). Underground mining, also called deep mining, is used when coal is more than 200 feet below the surface. Miners ride elevators down deep mine shafts and travel on small trains in long tunnels to reach the coal. They use large machines to dig out the coal. Underground mining currently accounts for about 60% of world coal production.
Surface mining is used when coal is less than 200 feet underground. In this method, large machines are used to remove the topsoil and layers of rock known as overburden to expose coal seams. Globally, about 40% of coal production involves surface mining. Surface mining accounts for around 80% of production in Australia, 67% in the U.S., and two-thirds of U.S. coal production.
Open-pit mining is a type of surface mining that costs less than underground mining and is, therefore, more profitable in terms of productivity. It is also much safer. Open-pit mining is used when coal seams are up to 300-460 meters (1,000-1,500 feet) below ground level. Explosives are first used to break through the surface, and then large machines are used to remove the overburden and extract the coal.
Coal extraction has had significant negative environmental impacts on local ecosystems, health impacts on local communities and workers, and contributed to global warming. As a result, there has been a transition away from coal towards renewable energy sources. The G7 countries have agreed to exit coal by the first half of the 2030s.
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How much oil is extracted from underground reservoirs?
Oil is usually found in vast underground reservoirs, although there are surface oil seeps in some parts of the world, such as the La Brea Tar Pits in California. The majority of the world's oil is pumped out of these underground reservoirs, but it can also be sourced from deposits in shale and tar sands. The search for crude oil begins with geologists who study the structure and history of rock layers below the earth's surface to locate potential deposits. They often use seismic surveys on land and in the ocean to find the right places to drill wells.
Once a reservoir has been discovered, a petroleum engineer will seek to determine the possible size of the trap. Appraisal wells can be used to determine the location of oil-water contact and, subsequently, the height of the oil-bearing sands. The total amount of petroleum in a reservoir is called oil-in-place. However, many petroleum liquids in a reservoir's oil-in-place cannot be extracted due to the complexity and high costs involved. The part of a reservoir’s oil-in-place that can be extracted and refined is that reservoir’s oil reserves.
The amount of petroleum in a reservoir is measured in barrels or tons. An oil barrel is about 42 gallons, a measurement typically used by oil producers in the United States. Oil producers in Europe and Asia tend to measure in metric tons, with about six to eight barrels of oil in a metric ton. The conversion is imprecise because different varieties of oil weigh different amounts, depending on the amount of impurities.
Successful drilling sites can produce oil for about 30 years, although some produce for many more decades. Even after pumping, a large proportion of oil (up to 90%) can remain trapped in the underground reservoir. Modern production includes thermal, gas injection, and chemical methods to enhance oil recovery.
The future of oil remains uncertain as economies transition from fossil fuels to sustainable renewable energy sources. Fossil fuels have been key to industrialization and rising prosperity, but their impact on health and the climate has prompted a shift towards low-carbon energy sources. In 2020, renewable energy accounted for about 20% of U.S. electricity generation, and this share is expected to continue growing.
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How much gas is extracted through fracking?
Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas, have been the primary energy source for over 150 years, currently supplying around 80% of the world's energy. In 2023, fossil fuels accounted for 82% of the global energy mix, with oil and coal making up a third and a quarter of the world's energy consumption, respectively.
Natural gas is now the second-largest source of electricity production globally, and its contribution is increasing as countries transition from coal. Gas emits less CO2 per unit of energy than coal, but it still contributes to global warming.
Shale gas, a form of natural gas (mostly methane), is extracted through hydraulic fracturing or "fracking." Fracking involves blasting large quantities of water, chemicals, and sand into shale and other impermeable rock formations at high pressures to crack the rock and release the trapped gas. This technique has gained prominence in the past two decades, contributing to the United States' global leadership in natural gas and crude oil production.
In 2022, U.S. dry natural gas production was about 36.35 trillion cubic feet (Tcf), with most of the production increases since 2005 attributed to horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques. The Annual Energy Outlook 2023 projects that the majority of U.S. dry natural gas production through 2050 will come from shale and tight gas resources.
While fracking has boosted natural gas extraction, it has also raised environmental and health concerns. Studies have found increased levels of harmful chemicals in water near fracking sites, and fracking has been linked to earthquakes and groundwater contamination. Additionally, the extraction and transportation of oil and gas pose significant environmental and safety risks.
As the world transitions towards sustainable renewable energy, the future of fossil fuel production remains uncertain. While renewable energy sources accounted for 20% of U.S. electricity generation in 2020, this share is expected to grow. The Group of Seven (G7) has agreed to exit coal in the first half of the 2030s, marking a significant step toward the international pledge to "transition away" from fossil fuels.
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Frequently asked questions
There is no clear data on the exact amount of fossil fuel extracted annually. However, it is known that fossil fuel consumption has increased significantly over the past few decades, with an eight-fold increase since 1950 and a doubling since 1980.
Fossil fuels, including coal, oil, and natural gas, currently supply about 80% of the world's energy. Oil constitutes about one-third of US energy consumption, while coal supplied 19% in 2020.
It is difficult to determine the exact amount of fossil fuel extracted in total due to the constant discovery of new reserves and the advancement of extraction technologies. "Proven reserves" refer to fossil fuels that can be recovered with reasonable certainty under existing economic and technological conditions, but the quantity of these reserves can change over time.
The leading producers of coal in the United States include Wyoming, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Kentucky. However, data on the top extractors of oil and natural gas is less clear.
Fossil fuel consumption has changed significantly since the Industrial Revolution, with a shift from solely relying on coal to a combination of coal, oil, and gas. While coal consumption is declining in many parts of the world, oil and gas consumption continue to grow.
