Debates on environmental issues are best when informed by facts. Last week the U.S. Energy Information Administration released piles of information on world oil production. GallonDaily found it interesting to note that, in 2011, Canada produced only about one third as much oil as the United States itself.

In 2011 Canada produced 22% of the oil produced in North America, Mexico produced 18%, and the United States produced 60%. On a global scale, Canada produced 4% of world oil production.

Canada’s production is 3.67 million barrels per day, compared to production of 10.1 million barrels per day in the United States. Canadian refinery capacity is 2.0 million barrels per day compared to 17.7 million barrels per day refinery capacity in the U.S.

Despite rhetoric one often hears from Canadian sources, the Energy Information Administration states that OPEC countries still control about 70% of the world’s proven oil reserves and they produce 41% of the world’s oil supply.

Gallon Environment Letter will be covering more of the useful data provided by the Energy Information Administration in upcoming issues.

The latest data on the major players supplying the world oil market is at http://www.eia.gov/energy_in_brief/world_oil_market.cfm