California energy flow in 1991

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1993

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/10158903· OSTI ID:10158903

Borg, I Y; Briggs, C K

Energy consumption in California fell in 1991 for the first time in five years. The State`s economy was especially hard hit by a continuing national recession. The construction industry for the second year experienced a dramatic downturn. Energy use in the industrial sector showed a modest increase, but consumption in other end-use categories declined. The decrease in energy used in transportation can be traced to a substantial fall in the sales of both highway diesel fuels and vessel bunkering fuels at California ports, the latter reflecting a mid-year increase in taxes. Gasoline sales by contrast increased as did the number of miles traveled and the number of automobiles in the State. Production in California`s oil and gas fields was at 1990 levels thus arresting a steady decline in output. Due to enlarged steam flooding operations, production at several fields reached record levels. Also countering the decline in many of California fields was new production from the Port Arguello offshore field. California natural gas production, despite a modest 1991 increase, will not fill the use within the State. Petroleum comprised more than half of the State`s energy supply principally for transportation. Natural gas use showed a small increase. Oil products play virtually no role in electrical production. The largest single source of electricity to the State is imports from the Pacific Northwest and from coal-fired plants in the Southwest. Combined contributions to transmitted electricity from renewable and alternate sources declined as hydropower was constrained by a prolonged drought and as geothermal power from the largest and oldest field at The Geysers fell. Windpower grew slightly; however solar power remained at 1990 levels and made no substantial contribution to total power generation.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab. (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 10158903
• Report Number(s): UCID-18991-91; ON: DE93012381
• Resource Relation: Other Information: PBD: 1 Apr 1993
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
CALIFORNIA
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
ENERGY SOURCES
PETROLEUM
NATURAL GAS
COAL
ELECTRICITY
GASOLINE
TRANSPORTATION SECTOR
COMPILED DATA
CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY
WIND POWER
GEOTHERMAL ENERGY
Geothermal Legacy
298000
299000
CONSUMPTION AND UTILIZATION
UNCONVENTIONAL SOURCES AND POWER GENERATION