Petroleum is a naturally occurring liquid found beneath the earths surface that can be refined into fuel and other products. It is a finite material and non-renewable energy source. Petroleum has historically been the most-consumed energy source in terms of total annual U.S. energy consumption. Here are some of the main uses of petroleum:

• Transportation fuels: In the United States, about 44% of total petroleum consumption in 2022 was finished motor gasoline, and 8% was jet fuel. Gasoline is used to power cars, boats, jets, and scooters. Diesel fuel is used in diesel engines, which are often in heavy construction equipment, trucks, buses, tractors, boats, trains, some automobiles, and electricity generators.

• Heating and electricity generation: Distillate fuel oil, which includes diesel fuel and heating oil, is the second-most-consumed petroleum product in the United States. Heating oil is used for heating homes and buildings in boilers and furnaces, for industrial heating, and for producing electricity in power plants.

• Industrial uses: The petrochemical industry uses petroleum as a raw material to make products such as plastics, polyurethane, solvents, and hundreds of other intermediate and end-user goods. Petroleum is also used in the production of asphalt and road oil.

• Consumer products: Petroleum is an ingredient in thousands of everyday items, including tires, refrigerators, life jackets, and anesthetics. It is also used in liquid products such as nail polish, rubbing alcohol, and ammonia. Many personal care products, such as perfume, hair dye, cosmetics, hand lotion, toothpaste, soap, shaving cream, and deodorant, are derived from petroleum.

• Sporting goods: Many common sports equipment contains some petroleum, including basketballs, golf balls and bags, football helmets, surfboards, skis, tennis rackets, and fishing rods.

• Construction materials: Petroleum is used in the production of construction materials such as roofing.

In addition to the above uses, petroleum is also used to produce electricity, and as a feedstock for making the chemicals, plastics, and synthetic materials that are in nearly everything we use.