South America / GoM

Country profile: USA

Location:

North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico

Climate:

mostly temperate, but tropical in Hawaii and Florida, arctic in Alaska, semiarid in the great plains west of the Mississippi River, and arid in the Great Basin of the southwest

Terrain:

vast central plain, mountains in west, hills and low mountains in east; rugged mountains and broad river valleys in Alaska; rugged, volcanic topography in Hawaii

Size:

9826630 sq. km total (Land area: 9161923 sq. km Water area: 664707 sq.km)

Population:

303,824,646 (July 2008 est.)

Languages:

English 82.1%, Spanish 10.7%, other Indo-European 3.8%, Asian and Pacific island 2.7%, other 0.7% (2000 census) note: Hawaiian is an official language in the state of Hawaii

Government:

Constitution-based federal republic; strong democratic tradition

Capital city:

Washington, DC

Legal system:

federal court system based on English common law; each state has its own unique legal system, of which all but one (Louisiana, which is still influenced by the Napoleonic Code) is based on English common law

Currency:

US dollar (USD)

Licensing:

Country profile

The United States of America is the world's largest energy producer, consumer, and net importer. It also ranks eleventh worldwide in reserves of oil, sixth in natural gas, and first in coal. U.S. oil production has been declining for years. In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita slashed oil output from the Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. is the world’s largest consumer and second-largest producer of natural gas. The U.S. has the world’s largest coal reserves, with the Western U.S. accounting for 55 percent of current U.S. coal production. U.S. electricity demand is increasing, as are prices.

Britain's American colonies broke with the mother country in 1776 and were recognized as the new nation of the United States of America following the Treaty of Paris in 1783. During the 19th and 20th centuries, 37 new states were added to the original 13 as the nation expanded across the North American continent and acquired a number of overseas possessions.

The two most traumatic experiences in the nation's history were the Civil War (1861-65), in which a northern Union of states defeated a secessionist Confederacy of 11 southern slave states, and the Great Depression of the 1930s, an economic downturn during which about a quarter of the labor force lost its jobs. Buoyed by victories in World Wars I and II and the end of the Cold War in 1991, the US remains the world's most powerful nation state. The economy is marked by steady growth, low unemployment and inflation, and rapid advances in technology.

Energy production and consumption

Oil

Gas

Production:

8 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

490 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Consumption:

20 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

604 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Exports:

1 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

19 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Imports:

13 million bbl/day (2005 est.)

117 billion cu m (2005 est.)

Reserves:

21 billion bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

5 trillion cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Major fields:

USA - recent news

02 Nov 26	US/Tanzania: Helium One Global announces operational update AIM-listed Helium One Global, the primary helium explorer in Tanzania with a 50% working interest in the Galactica-Pegasus helium development project in Colorado, USA, notes the Blue Star Helium announcement issued on Friday 30th October regarding the Galactica-Pegasus Project. The Company also provides an update on the Southern Rukwa Project, Tanzania.
01 Nov 26	US: Ranger Energy Services to acquire STEP Energy Services’ U.S. Coiled Tubing Assets Ranger Energy Services has entered into an agreement to acquire the US coiled tubing assets of STEP Energy Services. Positions Ranger as the second-largest U.S. coiled tubing operator in the onshore U.S. market, with significant scale and a strong Permian and Bakken presence.
28 Oct 26	US: 88 Energy secures A$15.5 million for Augusta-1 well farmout and South Prudhoe Project work programme on Alaska's North Slope 88 Energy has announced the execution of a binding Participation Agreement and Joint Operating Agreement (together the Farm-out Agreement) with Westlawn Americas Offshore LLC (WAO), for the South Prudhoe Project on Alaska's North Slope. The transaction delivers up to US$10.9 million (A$15.5 million) towards the drilling and evaluation of the Augusta-1 exploration well and South Prudhoe work-programme and budget.
28 Oct 26	US: TotalEnergies enters 26 Chevron-operated offshore exploration blocks, strengthening the successful U.S. partnership TotalEnergies has announced the acquisition of a 25% working interest in 26 Chevron-operated exploration leases offshore the United States. As part of the transaction, Chevron also acquires from TotalEnergies a 75% operated interest in two exploration leases adjacent to existing jointly held exploration leases.
28 Oct 26	US: IPAA applauds Trump Administration for changes to OOOOb/c, recognizing vital role marginal wells play in U.S. Economy Edith Naegele, President & CEO of the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) issued a statement today following President Trump’s announcement that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will revise burdensome methane regulations affecting oil and natural gas producers.