An interactive encyclopedia of global energy: production, trade, supply chains, geopolitical risk, and the transition to renewables. All data sourced from IEA, EIA, IAEA, Ember, IRENA, and OPEC.
Oil and natural gas remain the backbone of global energy. Reserves are concentrated in a handful of nations, production is shaped by geopolitics, and trade flows through a small number of critical chokepoints.
| # | Country | Production | mb/d |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 13.58 | mb/d |
| 2 | Russia | 9.87 | mb/d |
| 3 | Saudi Arabia | 9.51 | mb/d |
| 4 | Canada | 4.94 | mb/d |
| 5 | Iraq | 4.39 | mb/d |
| 6 | China | 4.34 | mb/d |
| 7 | Iran | 4.19 | mb/d |
| 8 | UAE | 3.55 | mb/d |
| 9 | Brazil | 3.40 | mb/d |
| 10 | Kuwait | 2.55 | mb/d |
Five narrow passages through which global energy trade is funneled. Disruption at any one can cascade through world markets.
How crude oil moves from wellhead to refinery to consumer — the physical infrastructure that keeps the world running.
| Route | Volume (mb/d) | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Middle East → Asia-Pacific | ~15.0 | Largest single flow. China, India, Japan, Korea. Via Hormuz + Malacca. |
| Russia → China | ~3.5 | Pipeline (ESPO) + seaborne. Surged post-2022 sanctions. Discounted Urals crude. |
| USA → Europe | ~2.0 | Shale revolution exports. WTI discount to Brent drives arbitrage. |
| West Africa → Asia | ~2.5 | Nigeria, Angola. Light sweet crude preferred by Asian refiners. |
| Canada → USA | ~3.9 | Pipeline (Keystone, Enbridge). Heavy oil sands to Gulf Coast refineries. |
| Middle East → Europe | ~2.5 | Via Suez Canal or pipelines. Reduced as Russia redirected volumes. |
| Latin America → USA | ~2.0 | Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador. Medium-heavy grades for US Gulf refineries. |
Nuclear provides reliable baseload power with zero direct carbon emissions. 416 reactors operate across 31 countries, but the fuel supply chain is concentrated and carries significant geopolitical risk.
| # | Country | Capacity | Reactors | Share of Electricity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States | 97 GW | 94 | 19% |
| 2 | France | 63 GW | 57 | 65% |
| 3 | China | 55 GW | 57 | 5% |
| 4 | Japan | 33 GW | 33 | 8% |
| 5 | Russia | 29 GW | 37 | 20% |
| 6 | South Korea | 26 GW | 26 | 32% |
| 7 | Canada | 15 GW | 19 | 15% |
| 8 | Ukraine | 14 GW | 15 | 55% |
| 9 | United Kingdom | 6 GW | 9 | 15% |
| 10 | Spain | 7 GW | 7 | 21% |
Solar is the fastest-growing energy source in history, but its supply chain is dominated by China at every stage from polysilicon to module assembly.
China's share of global solar manufacturing at each stage of the value chain:
Wind energy is scaling rapidly, but depends heavily on rare earth elements for permanent magnets in turbine generators. China dominates both mining and magnet manufacturing.
China's control over the rare earth supply chain that wind turbines depend on:
Data centers, AI, and cryptocurrency mining are emerging as massive new sources of electricity demand, reshaping grid planning and energy markets worldwide.
Major tech companies are signing unprecedented power deals to secure clean energy for AI infrastructure:
Source: Cambridge Centre for Alternative Finance, Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index
The clean energy transition depends heavily on Chinese manufacturing and mineral processing. This matrix maps the risk concentration across key supply chains.
| Material / Component | China Share | Risk Level | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graphite (natural, processed) | 100% | CRITICAL | Batteries, EV |
| Solar wafers | >95% | CRITICAL | Solar |
| Rare earth mining | 95% | CRITICAL | Wind, EV, Defense |
| Rare earth magnets (NdFeB) | 90% | CRITICAL | Wind, EV |
| Gallium | ~98% | CRITICAL | Semiconductors, 5G |
| Germanium | ~60% | CRITICAL | Fiber optics, Defense |
| Solar cells | >80% | CRITICAL | Solar |
| Solar modules | >80% | CRITICAL | Solar |
| Battery cells (LFP) | ~80% | HIGH | Batteries, EV, Grid |
| Polysilicon | 79% | CRITICAL | Solar |
| Cobalt refining | 70% | HIGH | Batteries |
| Lithium refining | 60% | HIGH | Batteries |
The energy transition is a mineral transition. Every solar panel, wind turbine, battery, and EV requires specific minerals that are concentrated in a handful of countries.
| Mineral | Top Mining Sources | Processing Bottleneck | Key Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lithium | Australia, Chile, China | China 60% refining | Batteries (EV, grid storage) |
| Cobalt | DRC (70% of mining) | China 70% refining | Battery cathodes (NMC) |
| Nickel | Indonesia (50%+), Philippines | China, Indonesia | Battery cathodes, stainless steel |
| Graphite | China (natural), Mozambique | China 100% of processed | Battery anodes (100% of Li-ion) |
| Copper | Chile, DRC, Peru | China 40% refining | Wiring, motors, grid, all electrification |
| Rare Earths | China (95%), Myanmar | China 90% processing | Wind turbine magnets, EV motors |
| Uranium | Kazakhstan (43%), Canada, Namibia | Russia 44% conversion | Nuclear fuel |
| Silver | Mexico, Peru, China | Distributed globally | Solar cell contacts (paste) |
| Gallium | China (~98%) | China ~98% | Semiconductors, 5G, LEDs |
| Germanium | China (~60%), Canada | China ~60% | Fiber optics, infrared, defense |
Key milestones in the shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy, based on current trajectories and IEA/Ember projections.
The complete upstream-to-downstream petroleum supply chain, from initial exploration to the fuel in your car. Click each step to expand details.