when was oil first used as an energy source
History of the petroleum industry The use of petroleum dates back to ancient China more than 2000 years ago. In I Ching, one of the earliest Chinese writings cites the use of oil in its raw state without refining was first discovered, extracted, and used in China in the first century BCE. In addition, the Chinese were the first to use petroleum as fuel as the early as the fourth century BCE.[2][3][4][5]
Petroleum in the United States In 2014, petroleum and natural gas were the two largest sources of energy in the U.S., together providing 63 percent of the energy consumed (oil provided 35 percent and gas 28 percent).[6] In 2008 the United States consumed 19.5 million barrels (3,100,000Â m3) per day of petroleum products, of which 46 percent was gasoline, 20 percent diesel fuel and heating oil, and 10 percent liquefied petroleum gas.[7] In 2015, the U.S. imported 24% of the petroleum it used, the lowest since 1970.[8] The largest sources of U.S. imported oil were: Canada (40%), Saudi Arabia (11%), Venezuela (9%), Mexico (8%), and Colombia (4%).[9]