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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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What are petroleum products, and what is petroleum used for?

Petroleum products include transportation fuels, fuel oils for heating and electricity generation, asphalt and road oil, and feedstocks for making the chemicals, plastics, and synthetic materials that are in nearly everything we use. In 2022, of the approximately 7.3 billion barrels of total U.S. petroleum consumption, about 44% was finished motor gasoline (includes fuel ethanol), 20% was distillate fuel (heating oil and diesel fuel), and 8% was jet fuel. Nine types of hydrocarbon gas liquids combined made up 17% of total U.S. petroleum consumption. Fourteen other major types of petroleum products (including biofuels: biodiesel, renewable diesel, and other biofuels) combined made up about 11% of total petroleum consumption in 2022.

Learn more:
What is the difference between crude oil, petroleum products, and petroleum?
Energy Explained: Crude oil and petroleum products
Petroleum products supplied by type (Table 3.5) (product supplied represents consumption)
U.S. Petroleum Product Supplied

Last updated: September 22, 2023, with final data for 2022.


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