By: Adam Cunyus

Below is a short, well made video representing the importance that petroleum plays in our everyday lives. In light of the continued demonization of the industry I thought it was timely to illustrate petroleum’s vast uses in many products other than gasoline. Please keep in mind that liquid petroleum hydrocarbons (i.e. crude oil) and its byproducts are mostly used for refined transportation fuel (71% according to the EIA-DOE), but 23% is used for industrial purposes (i.e. all the things the guy loses in the video).

Another point I’d like to make is the general public is being mislead about the importance of alternative energy sources in their relation to the oil & gas industry. As mentioned above 71% of petroleum goes to the production of transportation fuel. ONLY 1% GOES TO THE PRODUCTION OF ELECTRICITY. So as the pundits begin to ramp up their worn out talking points and legislators try to shove cap and tax down your throats by saying “we can reduce our addiction to foreign oil by increased alternative energy production (i.e. wind, solar, geothermal, ect…),” understand they are being disingenuous. The graph below demonstrates that while production of all forms of energy is important, the heavy subsidization of alternative energy sources will accomplish very little in the way of reducing our dependence on foreign oil. It will cost us jobs to get this wrong.