Oil

In 2006, oil covered 34.4% of the planet's primary energy needs, coal 26.0%, natural gas 20.5%, biomass, renewables and waste 10.7%, nuclear 6.2% and hydro 2.2% (International Energy Agency). Oil owes its success to its characteristics: in liquid form, it is easily mobile and storable. It also has a higher energy output per volume than other energies. Oil is the raw material for refineries and petrochemical complexes. Oil is also used as a fuel for domestic heating and as an energy source for industry. 50% of crude oil is used for transport, which is 98% dependent on oil. Oil's share of the transport sector is tending to increase, while its share of electricity production has been steadily declining over the past thirty years. For these applications, other energies are now favored. These include nuclear power, natural gas and coal. The new renewable energies (solar, wind, geothermal, etc.), despite their interest, represent less than 1% of the energy consumed. World crude oil production in 2007 stood at 3,871 million tonnes . It is therefore at the forefront of the world's energy and economic scene.