In 2020, the U.S. transportation sector consumed nearly three million barrels of distillate fuel oil daily. At the same time, this sector's daily demand for motor gasoline reached about eight million barrels.
Gasoline and fuel oil and diesel consumption in the U.S.
The transportation sector, which includes public and personal transportation by road vehicles, airplanes, trains and ships, is the second largest energy-consuming sector in the United States.
Distillate fuel can be used as either fuel oil or diesel fuel. The figures indicate that gasoline is still the most popular transportation fuel in the U.S., as consumption of this fuel is almost three-fold higher than fuel oil and diesel consumption. While gasoline is most commonly used in cars and motorcycles, diesel is the fuel of choice used in trucks and buses. Gasoline and fuel oil and diesel fuel consumption in the U.S. reached its peak in 2007, when the U.S. transportation sector consumed just over three million barrels of distillate fuel oil daily and over nine million barrels of finished motor gasoline per day.
Thanks to government incentives, annual biofuel consumption in the U.S. increased from around 260 million gallons in 2010 to almost two billion gallons in 2018.
U.S. motor gasoline and distillate fuel oil consumption by the transportation sector from 1992 to 2020
(in 1,000 barrels per day)
Characteristic
Distillate fuel oil
Motor gasoline
2020
2,902.27
7,736.26
2019
3,126.62
8,964.67
2018
3,118.27
8,984.31
2017
2,975.7
8,987.62
2016
2,943.55
8,972.95
2015
2,974.15
8,834.98
2014
2,927.82
8,777.96
2013
2,804.08
8,679.23
2012
2,718.65
8,525.18
2011
2,848.78
8,591.32
2010
2,763.93
8,824.31
2009
2,626.28
8,840.73
2008
2,737.97
8,834.37
2007
3,036.92
9,092.86
2006
3,016.87
9,029.34
2005
2,857.58
8,948.24
2004
2,782.52
8,886.93
2003
2,629.06
8,732.87
2002
2,536.25
8,661.57
2001
2,488.9
8,435.2
2000
2,422.45
8,369.92
1999
2,352.18
8,336.11
1998
2,263.05
8,128.09
1997
2,197.55
7,883.05
1996
2,096.36
7,771.96
1995
1,973.07
7,674
1994
1,896.41
7,487.35
1993
1,785.32
7,367.25
1992
1,727.95
7,125.1
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Distillate fuel oil: Beginning in 2009, includes renewable diesel fuel (including biodiesel) blended into distillate fuel oil. Gasoline: Finished motor gasoline; these figures include fuel ethanol blended into motor gasoline.
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EIA. (May 28, 2021). U.S. motor gasoline and distillate fuel oil consumption by the transportation sector from 1992 to 2020 (in 1,000 barrels per day) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/189410/us-gasoline-and-diesel-consumption-for-highway-vehicles-since-1992/
EIA. "U.S. motor gasoline and distillate fuel oil consumption by the transportation sector from 1992 to 2020 (in 1,000 barrels per day)." Chart. May 28, 2021. Statista. Accessed May 27, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/189410/us-gasoline-and-diesel-consumption-for-highway-vehicles-since-1992/
EIA. (2021). U.S. motor gasoline and distillate fuel oil consumption by the transportation sector from 1992 to 2020 (in 1,000 barrels per day). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: May 27, 2022. https://www.statista.com/statistics/189410/us-gasoline-and-diesel-consumption-for-highway-vehicles-since-1992/
EIA. "U.S. Motor Gasoline and Distillate Fuel Oil Consumption by The Transportation Sector from 1992 to 2020 (in 1,000 Barrels per Day)." Statista, Statista Inc., 28 May 2021, https://www.statista.com/statistics/189410/us-gasoline-and-diesel-consumption-for-highway-vehicles-since-1992/
EIA, U.S. motor gasoline and distillate fuel oil consumption by the transportation sector from 1992 to 2020 (in 1,000 barrels per day) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/189410/us-gasoline-and-diesel-consumption-for-highway-vehicles-since-1992/ (last visited May 27, 2022)