The U.S. Energy Information Administration

The U.S. Energy Information Administration

The U.S. Energy Information Administration
September 9, 2020
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is the lead federal agency for collecting,
analyzing, and disseminating data on U.S. and world energy supply and consumption. EIA was
Ashley J. Lawson,
established in 1977 by the Department of Energy Organization Act (P.L. 95-91), though other
Coordinator
federal agencies had regularly collected energy-related information since at least the early 1900s.
Analyst in Energy Policy

A main driver for the creation of EIA was the energy crisis of the 1970s. At the time, many
Mark Holt
lawmakers felt a lack of federal energy data had contributed to the crisis and limited
Specialist in Energy Policy
policymaking in response. EIA’s statutory authorities reflect many congressional concerns at the

time. Congress authorized EIA with substantial political independence—the EIA Administrator
does not need approval from any other DOE officer or employee for data collection, analysis, or
Michael Ratner
projections. EIA must “promptly” disseminate to the public the energy information it collects,
Specialist in Energy Policy
except for information deemed confidential or proprietary. Additionally, Congress authorized

EIA to compel the submission of data from energy companies. In other words, reporting to EIA
is mandatory.

EIA’s appropriation for FY2020 is $126.8 million, which includes $54.3 million for a staff of 359 full-time equivalent federal
employees. EIA’s budget has varied substantially since its first year of operation in FY1978. As with the rest of DOE, the
annual Energy and Water Development appropriations bill currently funds EIA.
One of EIA’s core functions is to collect “data and information which is relevant to energy resource reserves, energy
production, demand, and technology, and related economic and statistical information” (42 U.S.C. §7135). EIA data
collections span the energy system from supply and transport to consumption. All energy sources are included in EIA’s data
and analysis products, though some (e.g., petroleum) are more detailed than others (e.g., renewables). EIA’s emphasis on
petroleum data partly stems from the founding of the agency, when oil supply was a focus of national policy. EIA primarily
collects domestic energy information, but it also aggregates and analyzes international energy information.
EIA publishes its data on its website by fuel or energy source: Petroleum & Other Liquids, Natural Gas, Electricity,
Consumption & Efficiency, Coal, Renewables & Alternative Fuels, Nuclear & Uranium, and Total Energy. Time frames for
data collection span a wide range: some data are collected hourly, while other data are collected every few years. EIA also
provides mapping tools on its website that show the location of energy infrastructure. Some maps can display congressional
district boundaries, providing a potentially useful tool for responding to constituent requests or informing policy decisions.
Appendices to this report summarize EIA’s mapping tools and data collection surveys.
EIA also produces analysis and projections. EIA often draws a distinction between projections (i.e., estimates based on
specified assumptions) and forecasts or predictions (i.e., best guesses about the future). Its flagship projection, the Annual
Energy Outlook (AEO), is widely used among Members of Congress, industry, and other observers. The AEO provides an
outlook for U.S. energy supply, demand, prices, certain air emissions, and other factors over a 25-30 year period, based on
the laws and regulations in place at the time of publication. The International Energy Outlook (IEO), updated annually,
projects global energy supply, demand, and prices over a 25-30 year period. These long-term projections include scenarios
based on alternative assumptions. Scenarios provide information about the possible range of future energy supply and
demand conditions, and they can help identify how sensitive the U.S. energy system might be to changes in certain factors
such as fuel prices and potential policy changes. EIA also produces the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO), a monthly
forecast of U.S. energy supply, demand, and prices over the next 12-24 months.
EIA’s projections have been criticized for not taking into account potential changes in laws and regulations. Some critics
argue that this presents a misleading reference upon which many policy and investment decisions are made. Others argue EIA
insufficiently accounts for policy or technology changes in its projections.
EIA also performs ad hoc analysis at the request of Congress. In the past, EIA has projected potential energy system
outcomes for proposed energy policies (e.g., lifting the crude oil export ban), environmental policies (e.g., federal regulation
of greenhouse gas emissions), and tax policies (e.g., extended production tax credits for wind generators). EIA’s projections
have been used during congressional debate, alongside projections from other organizations. EIA has also produced a series
of reports at the request of Congress estimating the value of federal energy subsidies.
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Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Reasons for Establishment .............................................................................................................. 2
Oil Embargo, 1973-1974 ........................................................................................................... 3
Lack of Comprehensive, Up-to-Date Statistics ......................................................................... 4
Key Information Held by Oil Companies ................................................................................. 4
Statutes and Regulations.................................................................................................................. 5
Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-275) ....................................................... 5
Energy Conservation and Production Act (P.L. 94-385) ........................................................... 6
Department of Energy Organization Act (P.L. 95-91) and Subsequent Legislation .................. 7
Key Authorities ......................................................................................................................... 7
Regulations ................................................................................................................................ 8
EIA Budget and Oversight............................................................................................................... 8
EIA Functions ................................................................................................................................ 10
Data Collection......................................................................................................................... 11
Projections and Forecasts ......................................................................................................... 11
Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 13
State Energy Profiles ......................................................................................................... 13
Country Analysis ............................................................................................................... 14
Today in Energy ................................................................................................................ 14
Energy Subsidy Reports .................................................................................................... 15
EIA Domestic Data ........................................................................................................................ 15
Petroleum & Other Liquids ..................................................................................................... 15
Natural Gas.............................................................................................................................. 16
Electricity ................................................................................................................................ 16
Consumption & Efficiency ...................................................................................................... 16
Coal ......................................................................................................................................... 16
Renewables & Alternative Fuels ............................................................................................. 17
Nuclear and Uranium .............................................................................................................. 17
EIA International Data ................................................................................................................... 18
EIA Models.................................................................................................................................... 18
National Energy Modeling System (NEMS)........................................................................... 19
STEO Model ........................................................................................................................... 20
World Energy Projection System Plus .................................................................................... 21
Selected Criticisms .................................................................................................................. 22
EIA Information Users .................................................................................................................. 22
Private Sector Users ................................................................................................................ 23
Congressional Users ................................................................................................................ 23
Concluding Observations .............................................................................................................. 24

Figures
Figure 1. U.S. Primary Energy Consumption by Source ................................................................. 1
Figure 2. EIA Appropriations, FY1978-FY2020 ............................................................................. 9
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Figure 3. Energy Production Country Rankings............................................................................ 14
Figure 4. National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) High-Level Structure .............................. 19
Figure 5. World Energy Projection System Plus (WEPS+) Model Regions ................................. 21
Figure 6. EIA Web Users by Sector ............................................................................................... 23

Figure B-1. Example Energy Disruption Map ............................................................................... 35
Figure B-2. Example Flood Vulnerability Assessment Map ......................................................... 36

Tables

Table A-1. EIA Survey Forms ....................................................................................................... 25

Appendixes
Appendix A. Active EIA Survey Forms ........................................................................................ 25
Appendix B. EIA Maps ................................................................................................................. 34

Contacts
Author Information ........................................................................................................................ 36

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The U.S. Energy Information Administration

Introduction
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) is the lead federal agency for collecting,
analyzing, and disseminating energy information. According to one industry leader who has been
critical of EIA, “The EIA forecast is very important…. It moves markets, and it impacts our
industry greatly…. Right or wrong, no other agency provides data with greater impact.”1
EIA’s data, projections, and analysis serve multiple audiences, including Members of Congress,
industry, government agencies, and the public. These audiences use EIA information in different
ways to make decisions that affect the economy, businesses, and individuals. EIA data also
contribute to the functioning of energy markets and policy decisions.
EIA was born from the oil crisis of the early 1970s, and as such its primary focus had been on
data and analysis related to the oil industry. However, the U.S. energy mix has changed since
EIA’s creation in 1977 and is continuing to change (see Figure 1).
Figure 1. U.S. Primary Energy Consumption by Source
Percent of Total

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review, Table 1.3, July 2020.
Notes: Total primary energy consumption in 1977 was 77.9 quadril ion British thermal units (Quads) and in
2019 it was 100.2 Quads. Renewables include biomass, geothermal, hydroelectric power, solar, and wind.
The total amount of energy consumed has increased from 77.9 quadrillion British thermal units
(Quads) in 1977 to 100.2 Quads in 2019, a 29% increase. In absolute terms, both petroleum and
coal dropped between 1977 and 2019, by 1% and 19%, respectively. Natural gas increased the
greatest amount in absolute terms, 12 Quads. Nuclear energy, though comprising a smaller share
of the total than natural gas, rose by a higher relative amount, more than tripling. Renewables, of
which biomass is the largest, nearly tripled.
EIA collects data and provides projections on most forms of commercially used energy, including
oil and petroleum products, natural gas, natural gas liquids, coal, electricity, renewables,

1 Joseph Markman, “Hamm: EIA Forecasts Costly to Industry,” HartEnergy, November 17, 2017, pp.
https://www.hartenergy.com/exclusives/hamm-eia-forecasts-costly-industry-30538, online edition.
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alternative fuels, nuclear, biofuels, and others. The level of detail of collected data and analysis,
however, are not evenly distributed.
This report provides an overview of the history and major functions of EIA, with an emphasis on
how EIA information can be used by Members of Congress.
Reasons for Establishment
Since the nation’s early decades, the federal government has carried out the collection,
dissemination, and analysis of energy-related statistics. The first significant federal energy
statistics (on coal production) are believed to have been gathered during the census of 1830.2 The
U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Bureau of Mines, within the Department of the Interior (DOI),
also collected energy-related data since at least the early 20th century.3 The Federal Power
Commission began collecting and analyzing electricity statistics in the 1930s. By 1970, a study
by the not-for-profit Mitre Corporation identified eight federal agencies that were collecting fuels
and energy data, including, in addition to those above, the Atomic Energy Commission, the Army
Corps of Engineers, the Interstate Commerce Commission, and the Oil Import Administration.4
Until the 1970s, energy had been recognized as an important sector of the U.S. economy but was
rarely a major focus of national policy. The fragmented collection and dissemination of energy
statistics was often viewed as sufficient for the specific governmental purposes for which they
were collected and analyzed, such as interstate electricity rate regulation and state-level oil
production monitoring.
However, energy supply concerns had risen sufficiently by the 92nd Congress (1971-1972) that the
Senate Interior Committee launched an extensive multiyear “National Fuels and Energy Policy
Study.” According to Committee Chairman Henry M. Jackson,
In the course of this study, it has become increasingly apparent that the Federal government
is making energy decisions on the basis of information which is less than adequate. Serious
questions have been raised about the accuracy and completeness of available statistics on
energy supplies and the extent of energy requirements.5
A 1971 Mitre study of energy information needs, quoted during a House subcommittee hearing,
concluded, “Little or no data analysis capability exists within the federal agencies to translate the
assembled data into either resources policy, research planning and coordination, or to insure that
the questionnaires are relevant to Federal information requirements.”6

2 Robert C. Milici and Kristin O. Dennen, Production and Depletion of Appalachian and Illinois Basin Coal Resources,
U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625–F, Introduction, 2009, at https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1625f/downloads/
ChapterH.pdf.
3 Robert C. Milici and Kristin O. Dennen, Production and Depletion of Appalachian and Illinois Basin Coal Resources,
U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1625–F, Introduction, 2009, at https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1625f/downloads/
ChapterH.pdf.
4 Mitre Corporation, A Survey of Fuel and Energy Information Sources, MTR-1493, November 1970, vol. 1, p. 15.
5 Letter from Senate Interior Committee Chairman Henry M. Jackson to the General Accounting Office, April 6, 1973,
Appendix 1 of GAO Report “Actions Needed to Improve Federal Efforts in Collecting, Analyzing, and Reporting
Energy Data,” February 6, 1974, at https://www.gao.gov/assets/80/78904.pdf.
6 Mitre study quoted in opening statement of Chairman John D. Dingell, House Permanent Select Committee on Small
Business, Subcommittee on Activities of Regulatory Agencies, Hearing on Energy Data Requirements of the Federal
Government, January 16, 1974, p. 2.
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The concerns raised by Senate Interior Committee and increasing numbers of other policymakers
were confirmed by the Arab oil embargo that began in 1973. As oil prices nearly tripled and long
lines appeared at gas stations throughout the country, Congress determined that it urgently needed
much more comprehensive, up-to-date, and authoritative energy statistics and analysis to
understand the causes of the crisis and to develop a national response.
Oil Embargo, 1973-1974
Global oil markets had already been tightening for a decade when Israel was attacked by Egypt
and Syria in October 1973, triggering the Yom Kippur War. In response, the United States
provided emergency aid to Israel, and the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries
(OAPEC) retaliated by imposing a complete embargo on oil exports to the United States and
reducing supplies to U.S. allies. The OAPEC action cut world crude oil supply by about 7%,
leading to a U.S. recession that reduced economic output by about 2.5%.7 U.S. crude oil prices
rose from an average of $3.58 per barrel in 1972 to $9.07 in 1974 (in current dollars).8
The oil embargo immediately elevated the debate over energy policy, which until then had
primarily involved long-term concerns about supply and demand trends, into a national
emergency. At a congressional hearing in January 1974, the General Accounting Office (GAO,
now the Government Accountability Office) provided this testimony:
The events of the last year which made us all aware of the national energy problem are also
making us aware of the need for the best possible information upon which to base both
public and private decisions. The cutoff of oil imports accelerated the need for fuel
allocation programs; voluntary curtailment of fuel consumption is being sought; and
serious consideration now is being given to the rationing of gasoline. The need to take and
consider such serious steps has resulted in substantial concern in and out of Government
about the data on which the Government is basing its decisions and about the system under
which such data is being collected.9
As stated by another witness at the same series of hearings,
We are in an energy crisis. The administration, the Congress, the public—the entire
economy—is being asked to put up with high prices, a degraded environment, and probably
even a real recession because of it. And even now, there is no one—in or out of
Government—who can give a credible, objective analysis of the extent or location of the
real crisis. There simply is no adequate, credible, objective base of real information.10
The “energy crisis” sparked by the oil embargo did not end when the embargo was formally lifted
in March 1974. Oil and gasoline prices remained at the “price shock” levels through the mid-
1970s, exacerbating the effects of an already-weak U.S. and world economy. Reliance on Middle
East oil during continued tightness in the world market remained a top national concern. The

7 Frank A. Verrastro and Guy Caruso, Center for Strategic and International Studies, “The Arab Oil Embargo—40
Years Later,” October 16, 2013, at https://www.csis.org/analysis/arab-oil-embargo%E2%80%9440-years-later.
8 EIA, Annual Energy Review 2011, Table 5.21, “Crude Oil Refiner Acquisition Costs, 1968-2011,” at
https://www.eia.gov/totalenergy/data/annual/pdf/sec5_53.pdf.
9 GAO, Statement of Phillip S. Hughes, Assistant Comptroller General, Hearing on Energy Data Collection in the
Federal Government, Subcommittee on Activities of Regulatory Agencies Relating to Small Business, House Select
Committee on Small Business, January 17, 1974, at https://www.gao.gov/assets/100/98138.pdf.
10 Prepared Statement of Martin Lobel of Lobel, Novins, and Lamont, Hearing on Energy Data Collection in the
Federal Government, Subcommittee on Activities of Regulatory Agencies Relating to Small Business, House Select
Committee on Small Business, January 16, 1974, p. 9.
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Iranian Revolution that erupted in late 1978 created another major oil supply disruption, doubling
U.S. gasoline prices and again creating nationwide gas lines—and another economic recession.
Lack of Comprehensive, Up-to-Date Statistics
As the energy crisis grew in the early 1970s, the adequacy of existing statutory authority for
federal agencies to collect, analyze, and disseminate comprehensive and timely statistics for
energy policymaking became a major topic of congressional debate. GAO’s 1974 report noted
that “many Federal agencies have been collecting a large volume of energy-related data as an
outgrowth of broad legislative mandates or to fulfill particular program needs.”11 However, GAO
said in related testimony, “Authorities contained in these laws as they relate to energy data,
however, seem to us to be vague and fragmented. Moreover, none of them constitute a specific
mandate to collect energy data, systematically or otherwise.”12
The fast-moving consequences of the oil embargo raised concerns about the timeliness of the
energy data produced during that period. According to GAO, “With few exceptions, energy data
published by Federal agencies is late, with time lags between the period of publication and the
period for which the data is reported ranging from a month to a year. In one case, the time lag is 2
years.”13
In 1974, an Exxon vice president testified at a congressional hearing that the federal government
had long demonstrated its capability to produce comprehensive statistics on other aspects of the
U.S. economy and could do the same for energy:
The Government must have timely and accurate information on many aspects of the
Nation’s energy supply and demand situation. This information must not only be of high
quality but must have the same degree of acceptability or credibility that is afforded
statistics on GNP, employment, population, cost of living, and so forth, the statistics
historically presented by the Department of Commerce and the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.14
Key Information Held by Oil Companies
Another major energy statistics issue in the early 1970s was the federal government’s reliance on
voluntary data reporting by the energy industry, particularly by large oil companies. That situation
raised broad concerns about the completeness of the reported energy data and its credibility.
Speculation was widespread in the news media and Congress during the height of the oil embargo
that major international oil companies were complicit in creating the oil shortage and price
spikes. Conspiracy theories involving large numbers of fully loaded oil tankers being held
offshore during the shortage were widely circulated.15

11 GAO, “Actions Needed to Improve Federal Efforts in Collecting, Analyzing, and Reporting Energy Data,” February
6, 1974, p. 32, at https://www.gao.gov/assets/80/78904.pdf.
12 GAO, Statement of Phillip S. Hughes.
13 GAO, “Actions Needed,” p. 18.
14 W. T. Slick, Jr., Senior Vice President, Exxon Co., Statement for Hearing on Energy Data Collection in the Federal
Government, Subcommittee on Activities of Regulatory Agencies Relating to Small Business, House Select Committee
on Small Business, January 16, 1974.
15 Deborah Halber, Massachusetts Institute of Technology News, “Seventies Oil Crisis Was a ‘Perfect Storm’ for U.S.,”
March 23, 2007, at http://news.mit.edu/2007/seventies-oil-crisis-was-perfect-storm-us.
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“Our citizens are not only questioning the extent of the shortage, but even asking is there really a
shortage of oil,” Senator J. Glenn Beall testified at a February 1974 Senate Interior Committee
hearing.16 S. David Freeman, Director of the Ford Foundation Energy Policy Project, also noted
the public doubts at the same hearing:
The energy problem is bad enough but it is being made worse by a real crisis of confidence
about whether the problem is real. People are afraid of being taken for suckers because
they can’t seem to get a straight story. The government is woefully ignorant of basic energy
facts. And it doesn’t help that the only source for its estimates is the oil industry, which is
not exactly losing money these days.17
Hearings on the energy information issue during this period often included testimony that
Congress should give federal agencies statutory authority to compel oil companies and others in
the energy industry to provide data needed for policymaking and regulation. An executive of Gulf
Oil Corporation testified at the 1974 Senate Interior hearing that the oil industry would accept
such requirements. “We recognize that it is necessary to have mandatory reports of operating and
inventory statistics. The gaps in petroleum data cannot be filled in any other way. The Federal
Government has, and should have, the power to compel reporting of needed operating and
inventory statistics,” according to the Gulf statement.18 Senator Beall’s statement at the hearing
also focused on that point:
Therefore, I believe that we immediately need a centralized, information-gathering agency
with the ability to require energy interests to report on a regular and continuing basis the
total amount of petroleum and other materials that they hold, own, or control. This system
must extend to all levels of production, transportation, storage, and distribution, and be
able to report to the Congress and to the American people in a timely fashion.19
Statutes and Regulations
The ideas for improving federal energy data and analysis that were developed during the
numerous congressional hearings on energy security in the early 1970s were incorporated into
several major pieces of legislation enacted during the decade. This effort culminated in the
establishment of EIA as part of the new Department of Energy in 1977, as detailed in this section.
Federal Energy Administration Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-275)
The Federal Energy Administration (FEA) was created as an independent agency to replace the
Federal Energy Office, which had been established by President Nixon in December 1973. FEA
began operating in June 1974 and was charged with developing and implementing national
energy policy, including emergency measures to deal with the ongoing energy crisis. Existing

16 Senator J. Glenn Beall, Statement to the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, Hearing on S. 2782, a Bill
to Establish a National Information System, Serial No. 93-34 (92-69), part 1, February 5 and 6, 1974, p. 61.
17 S. David Freeman, Director, Ford Foundation Energy Policy Project, Statement to the Senate Committee on Interior
and Insular Affairs, Hearing on S. 2782, a Bill to Establish a National Information System, Serial No. 93-34 (92-69),
part 1, February 5 and 6, 1974, p. 169.
18 Robert F. Stewart, Manager, Business Economics, Gulf Oil Corporation, Statement to the Senate Committee on
Interior and Insular Affairs, Hearing on S. 2782, a Bill to Establish a National Information System, Serial No. 93-34
(92-69), part 1, February 5 and 6, 1974, p. 352.
19 Senator J. Glenn Beall, Statement to the Senate, p. 62.
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energy-related functions and authority from several other federal agencies were transferred to the
FEA Administrator.20
Among the offices transferred to FEA was the Department of the Interior’s Office of Energy Data
and Analysis, which helped form the basis of the new agency’s National Energy Information
Center. In line with the ideas discussed at congressional hearings on federal energy data needs,
the act gave the FEA Administrator broad information-gathering authority:
 To “collect, assemble, evaluate, and analyze” comprehensive energy information
for monitoring the energy sector and helping guide federal energy policy;
 To require any person “engaged in any phase of energy supply or major energy
consumption” to provide any “reports, records, documents, and other data,
including responses to surveys and questionnaires,” needed to carry out the act;
 To issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of
required information; and
 To require other federal agencies to provide information about energy resources
on federal lands.
In addition, FEA was required to disseminate any information and analysis necessary to fully
inform the public about energy supply shortages and the steps being taken to minimize their
impact. Provisions were included to protect confidential business and private information.
Energy Conservation and Production Act (P.L. 94-385)
After FEA began operating, Congress continued to be concerned about the objectivity and
integrity of the energy statistics and data that the new agency was collecting.21 Such concerns
were addressed by the 1976 enactment of the Energy Conservation and Production Act (ECPA),
which included amendments to the FEA Act of 1974 providing more direction about the operation
of FEA’s energy information activities.
In particular, ECPA established a separate Office of Energy Information and Analysis in FEA to
operate a comprehensive National Energy Information System, which was to “to assure the
availability of adequate, comparable, accurate, and credible energy information ….” The Director
of the Office of Energy Information and Analysis was required to have the necessary
“professional background and experience” to be “specially qualified to manage an energy
information system.” The Director was shielded from political interference to ensure the integrity
of the office’s data and analysis. The act specified, “Prior to publication, the Director may not be
required to obtain the approval of any other officer or employee of the United States with respect
to the substance of any statistical or forecasting technical reports which he has prepared in
accordance with law.”
ECPA defined “energy information,” which FEA was required to collect and analyze, by referring
to the definition in Section 11 of the Energy Supply and Environmental Coordination Act of 1974
(ESECA, P.L. 93-319), which had been enacted a few months earlier:
The term “energy information” includes (A) all information in whatever form on (i) fuel
reserves, exploration, extraction, and energy resources (including petrochemical
feedstocks) wherever located; (ii) production, distribution, and consumption of energy and
fuels wherever carried on; and (B) matters relating to energy and fuels, such as corporate

20 Roger Anders, DOE Office of History, The Federal Energy Administration, November 1980, at
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/FEA%20History.pdf.
21 Anders, The Federal Energy Administration.
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structure and proprietary relationships, costs, prices, capital investment, and assets, and
other matters directly related thereto, wherever they exist.
ESECA also had given FEA the authority to issue regulations that required the energy industry to
submit reports to the agency, and to compel responses and the production of records required to
fulfill any other authorized requests for energy information.
Department of Energy Organization Act (P.L. 95-91) and
Subsequent Legislation
The DOE Organization Act established EIA largely in its current form in 1977. The act
transferred to the EIA Administrator the functions of the Director of the FEA Office of Energy
Information and Analysis and all other DOE functions “relating to gathering, analysis, and
dissemination of energy information….” EIA was explicitly designated as the federal
government’s primary energy statistical and analytical organization, with the mandate to carry out
a “central, comprehensive, and unified energy data and information program….” The act further
specified that EIA must “require each major energy-producing company” to submit a financial
report at least once a year.
Congress has continued to modify EIA’s responsibilities and authorities in subsequent legislation,
but without making fundamental changes. For example, the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (P.L. 102-
486) expanded EIA reporting requirements for renewable energy, vehicles, greenhouse gas
emissions, foreign uranium purchases, and other areas. The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-
58) required EIA to conduct a survey of the renewable fuel market. The Energy Independence and
Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140) required EIA to regularly analyze refinery outage data and
establish guidelines for collecting data “required to provide a comprehensive, accurate energy
profile at the State level.”
Key Authorities
Pursuant to the legislation discussed above, EIA currently has several key authorities and
responsibilities that define the agency’s overall operational framework.
 Substantive Independence. The EIA Administrator does not need approval from
any other DOE officer or employee to collect or analyze energy information, nor
the approval of any federal officer or employee for “the substance of any
statistical or forecasting technical reports which he has prepared in accordance
with law” (42 U.S.C. §7135(d)).
 Dissemination of Information. The EIA Administrator shall “promptly” share
information or analysis with other DOE offices that have determined a need for it
(42 U.S.C. §7135(f)). Information collected by EIA shall be available to the
public upon request unless exempted from mandatory disclosure (42 U.S.C.
§7135(g)).
 Mandatory Data Submission. Authority under P.L. 93-319 (15 U.S.C. §796(b))
for the Federal Energy Administrator to compel the submission of data from the
energy industry is delegated to the EIA Administrator (42 U.S.C. §7135(b)).
These authorities include subpoena power, requirements for mandatory responses
to questions under oath, and the power to enter places of business to inspect
energy inventories, records, and other documents.
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 Exemptions for Disclosure. The DOE Organization Act refers to several
statutory provisions that exempt government information from disclosure.
Government-wide exemptions are provided for classified information, trade
secrets, internal communications, and other categories under 5 U.S.C. §552(b). A
confidentiality provision of P.L. 93-319 (15 U.S.C. §796(d), originally applying
to the Federal Energy Administrator, allows persons providing energy
information to EIA to ask that it not be released, upon a satisfactory showing of
evidence that it is proprietary. EIA maintains confidential information pursuant to
the Confidential Information Protection and Statistical Efficiency Act of 2002
(CIPSEA), Title V of the E-Government Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-347, 44 U.S.C.
§3501)).
 Access to Data from Other Federal Agencies. Under P.L. 93-275 as amended
by P.L. 94-385, as cited above, EIA “shall have access to energy information in
the possession of any Federal agency” unless expressly prohibited by law or if
such sharing of information would “significantly impair” another agency’s
mission. If energy information cannot be shared by another federal agency, EIA
may use its legal authority to obtain the information from other sources (15
U.S.C. §790g).
Regulations
DOE’s regulations for the Department’s general authority to compel the energy industry to
provide information to EIA are found at 10 C.F.R. Part 207—Collection of Information. These
regulations implement the energy collection authority provided by ESECA, when necessary
energy data and information “is not available to DOE under the authority of statutes other than
ESECA or that such energy information should, as a matter of discretion, be collected under the
authority of ESECA.”22
General guidelines for the Voluntary Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Program, which was
authorized by Section 1605(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992, are found at 10 C.F.R. Part 300.
Voluntary reports are to be submitted by “businesses, public or private institutions or
organizations, households, or other entities having operations that annually release emissions, at
least in part, in the United States.”
EIA Budget and Oversight
Congress appropriated $126.8 million to EIA for FY2020, including $54.3 million for a staff of
359 full-time equivalent federal employees and $51.7 million for support services. The support
services budget item covers energy supply surveys ($16.0 million for FY2020), energy
consumption and efficiency surveys ($13.3 million for FY2020), energy modeling and analysis
($10.1 million for FY2020), and resource and technology management ($12.3 million for
FY2020).23 As with the rest of DOE, funding for EIA is currently provided in the annual Energy
and Water Development appropriations bill.

22 For a list of statutory authorities for each EIA data series, see EIA, Improving the Quality and Scope of EIA Data,
Appendix B. Legal Sources for EIA’s Mandatory Data Collection Authority, July 2011, at https://www.eia.gov/
analysis/requests/2011/qualityscope2011.pdf.
23 DOE, FY2021 Congressional Budget Request, February 2020, vol. 2, p. 310, at https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/
files/2020/03/f72/doe-fy2021-budget-volume-2.pdf.
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The Trump Administration is requesting $128.7 million for EIA in FY2021, an increase of $1.9
million (1.5%). According to the DOE budget justification, EIA in FY2021 will begin a multi-
year modernization of its energy modeling capabilities, which is to provide “greater agility in
EIA’s modeling system to address key current and emerging trends,” such as the growing
production and consumption of natural gas and renewable energy, and “more flexible options for
modeling energy-related CO2 emissions.” According to DOE, “The Request will also continue
EIA’s planned cybersecurity initiatives to bolster information security.”24 EIA’s models, and the
assumptions EIA uses in its models, have been criticized by various stakeholders as discussed in
the section “Selected Criticisms.”
EIA’s budget has varied substantially since its first year of operation in FY1978, as shown in
Figure 2. The appropriation for that initial year was $50.7 million, about $161 million in 2020
dollars (as estimated using the Bureau of Economic Analysis gross domestic product (GDP)
implicit price deflator). The annual appropriation rose to a high of $90.8 million in FY1980
(about $247 million in 2020 dollars), before dropping to $56.4 million by FY1984 (about $121
million in 2020 dollars). In 2020 dollars, EIA’s annual funding has since ranged from a low of
about $101 million in FY1997 and FY1998 to a high of $140 million in FY1994. Annual funding
since FY1997 has, on average, gradually risen to its current level.25
Figure 2. EIA Appropriations, FY1978-FY2020
2020 Dollars

Source: DOE budget justifications and annual appropriations acts.
Notes: FY1993 includes a transfer of $49.0 mil ion from unobligated balances in the Biomass Energy
Development account. Converted to 2020 dol ars using Bureau of Economic Analysis Implicit Price Deflator.

24 DOE, FY2021 Congressional Budget Request Budget in Brief, DOE/CF-0167, February 2020, p. 46, at
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/02/f72/doe-fy2021-budget-in-brief_0.pdf.
25 DOE, “Budget History Table by Appropriation.” Available from the authors. Converted to 2020 dollars using Bureau
of Economic Analysis Implicit Price Deflator with online calculator tool at https://stats.areppim.com/calc/
calc_usdlrxdeflator.php. EIA’s FY1993 appropriation includes a transfer of $49.0 million from unobligated balances in
the Biomass Energy Development account; see Committee on Conference, Making Appropriations for the Department
of the Interior and Related Agencies for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 1993, and for Other Purposes, H.Rept.
102-901, p. 61.
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Congressional oversight of EIA can be conducted by any committee with jurisdiction over
energy-related issues or government operations in general. The primary oversight committees for
DOE are the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Energy and Natural
Resources Committee, which also has jurisdiction over nominees to be EIA Administrator.
Confirmation hearings for the EIA Administrator often include questions focusing on EIA’s
appropriate role and standards of operation. For example, Administrator Linda Capuano was
asked at her 2017 confirmation hearing whether she believed, in light of statements by President
Trump, that global climate change was a real phenomenon and whether EIA would analyze the
effects of energy futures contracts and derivatives on oil prices. At the same hearing, Senator
Heinrich criticized EIA for bias, saying, “the EIA has consistently and, actually, spectacularly,
underestimated growth in clean energy as well as growth in the gas sector.” He asked Capuano,
“The data and EIA’s bias seem to have a chasm between them. Why do you think that is and what
do you intend to do about it?” Capuano replied that EIA’s “assumptions are always being looked
at” and that “there is always room to correct those and improve those” but did not agree that “bias
has entered—is inserted into that.” She added, “I believe that the information that EIA gives you
is high quality and it is credible and that the sources are identified and that they can be improved
continuously as the source of data is improved.”26
Appropriations hearings also provide a regular opportunity for congressional oversight of EIA
policies and activities. For example, the Energy and Water Development Subcommittee of the
Senate Appropriations Committee in 2008 held an oversight hearing on EIA’s FY2009 budget
request and oil and gas price forecasts. Senator Dorgan, the subcommittee chairman, criticized
EIA for attributing the recent doubling of oil prices at that time to market forces rather than
speculation in the futures markets. However, Senator Domenici, the subcommittee’s ranking
Republican, agreed with EIA that the price increase was primarily the result of “supply and
demand fundamentals in the marketplace.”27
Additional oversight had previously been conducted by the U.S. Government Accountability
Office (GAO), which had a statutory requirement to conduct annual performance evaluations of
EIA until the mandate was repealed by the Federal Reports Elimination and Sunset Act of 1995
(P.L. 104-66).
EIA Functions
EIA’s chief functions are to provide energy information and analysis to Members of Congress,
industry participants, and the public. In general, EIA’s energy information is one of three types:
data, estimates, or projections. EIA collects some data directly through standardized surveys to all
energy companies operating in a sector. EIA sometimes processes this data, for example by
aggregating it into monthly totals. When surveying all energy companies in a sector is impractical
or overly burdensome, EIA produces estimates for the full sector based on a sampling of a
subgroup of companies in that sector. EIA uses standard statistical methods to produce estimates
from that sampling. EIA produces projections for future conditions using its energy system
models described in the section “EIA Models.” EIA’s analysis takes various forms, including
identifying trends in its data and ranking energy producers by output.

26 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, Capuano and Petty Nominations, S.Hrg. 115-
338, December 5, 2017, p. 31.
27 U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, Energy
Information Administration’s Forecasts for Oil and Gasoline Prices, S.Hrg. 110-768, June 25, 2008, p. 3.
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Data Collection
As one of its core functions, EIA collects primary data for many aspects of the U.S. energy sector.
EIA’s authorizing statute requires the agency to carry out a “central, comprehensive, and unified
energy data and information program” covering “data and information which is relevant to energy
resource reserves, energy production, demand, and technology, and related economic and
statistical information.”28 The statute additionally requires EIA’s data program to collect
information used to determine the adequacy of U.S. energy resources (i.e., whether U.S. energy
supply can meet energy demand).
Energy companies are required by law to provide requested information to EIA. EIA must make
publicly available the information it collects, except for classified, privileged, or confidential
information. EIA presents much of the data it collects in aggregated form so that companies are
not disadvantaged in the marketplace.
EIA mostly uses standardized surveys (i.e., forms) to collect information. These surveys are
approved every three years by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) pursuant to the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA; P.L. 104-13). Stated purposes of the PRA are to
minimize the reporting burden on the public and maximize the utility of the information
collected. Consequently, EIA occasionally modifies or discontinues its surveys. EIA datasets are
described in the section “EIA Domestic Data.” Currently active EIA surveys are described in
Appendix A.
EIA also disseminates energy information collected by other federal agencies. This information
does not always coincide with the data EIA collects, as the other agencies may collect data on a
different time period or from different sources. Agencies also have different methodologies in
their data collection, consolidation, and analysis. Some energy information is collected by the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC); the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and
the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) within the Department of Commerce; the Office of
Natural Resources Revenue (ONRR), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Bureau of
Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) within the
Department of the Interior; the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) within the Department of Labor;
and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety
Administration (PHMSA) within the Department of Transportation.
Projections and Forecasts
EIA’s projections provide estimates of future energy system conditions based upon stated
assumptions. Usually, EIA’s projections assume laws, regulations, and industry trends in place
when the projection is made will remain unchanged throughout the projection period. EIA often
draws a distinction between projections (i.e., estimates based on specified assumptions) and
forecasts or predictions (i.e., best guesses about the future).29 Many EIA information users do not
draw this distinction, and EIA projections are frequently described as forecasts. EIA analysts have
argued that characterizing a projection as a forecast can lead to incorrect and misleading
interpretations.30 At the same time, EIA has been criticized for not taking into account potential

28 42 U.S.C. §7135.
29 For example, EIA, EIA’s Annual Energy Outlook Is a Projection, Not a Prediction, May 17, 2016, at
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=26272.
30 See David Daniels and Chris Namovicz, On Inaccuracies in a Published Journal Article, April 20, 2016, in response
to Alexander Q. Gilbert and Benjamin K. Sovacool, “Looking the Wrong Way: Bias, Renewable Electricity, and
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changes in laws, regulations, and market trends. Some critics argue that this presents a misleading
reference upon which many policy and investment decisions are made.31
EIA projections typically include a main scenario (i.e., reference case) and alternative scenarios.
In the alternative scenarios, certain assumptions (e.g., GDP growth, oil and gas production, policy
or technology changes) are changed while others remain the same. These scenarios provide
information about the possible range of future energy supply-and-demand conditions, and they
can help identify how sensitive the U.S. energy system might be to changes in certain factors such
as fuel prices. Scenarios help address the uncertainty that is inherent in any projection of the
future.
EIA produces two series of projections:
 The Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) provides a projection for U.S. energy supply,
demand, prices, certain air emissions, and other factors over a 25-30 year period.
The AEO is released annually.
 The International Energy Outlook (IEO) provides a projection of global energy
supply, demand, prices, certain air emissions, and other factors for a 25-30 year
time period. The IEO is released annually.
Additionally, EIA produces the Short-Term Energy Outlook, a 1-2 year forecast for U.S. energy
supply, demand, and prices. The STEO report is released monthly. In contrast to the AEO and
IEO projections, EIA characterizes the STEO as a forecast of the U.S. energy system.32 Upon
request, EIA may project potential energy system impacts of policy proposals. Typically, these
analyses are requested by the Chair or Ranking Member of a committee of jurisdiction. EIA’s
models cannot address all topics of interest around policy proposals. For example, EIA’s models
do not estimate employment in different sectors. Nevertheless, EIA analyses have been used in
past legislative debates. A discussion of the models EIA uses for its projections is in the section
“EIA Models.”
EIA has analyzed potential energy system impacts of proposed energy policies, environmental
policies, and tax policies, at the request of Congress. Examples include:
 the 2015 study Effects of Removing Restrictions on U.S. Crude Oil Exports;
 the 2015 study Analysis of the Impacts of the Clean Power Plan;
 the 2012 study Analysis of the Clean Energy Standard Act of 2012;
 the 2009 study Energy Market and Economic Impacts of H.R. 2454, the
American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009; and
 the 2007 study Analysis of Alternative Extensions of the Existing Production Tax
Credit for Wind Generators.33

Energy Modelling in the United States,” Energy, vol. 94 (January 1, 2016), pp. 533-541.
31 See, for example, Dan Gearino, “America’s Energy Future: What the Government Misses in Its Energy Outlook and
Why It Matters,” Inside Climate News, January 28, 2019.
32 EIA uses different language to discuss the STEO, compared to the AEO and IEO, reflecting the fact that the STEO is
the agency’s forecast. For example, EIA lists “Forecast Highlights” on its STEO webpage, including changes that “EIA
forecasts” and “EIA expects.” In contrast, in the AEO and IEO reports, EIA describes changes that occur “in the
reference case.” In the introductory language in each report, EIA states that the AEO and IEO are not predictions of
what will happen. EIA, Annual Energy Outlook 2020, p. 3, and EIA, International Energy Outlook 2019, p. 7.
33 These, and other, analyses in response to congressional requests are available on EIA’s website in the Analysis &
Projections section, at https://www.eia.gov/analysis/.
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EIA projections may support activities in other agencies as well. For example, in implementing
the Renewable Fuel Standard, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must use EIA
projections of relevant fuel volumes.34
EIA’s different projections and forecasts serve different purposes. The two U.S. products, the
AEO and STEO, cover different timescales (long-term and short-term) and are updated with
different frequency (annually and monthly). Monthly updates as provided by the STEO may be
useful in understanding near-term conditions, but may have limited usefulness in understanding
long-term changes. This may affect the policy questions the STEO can effectively address, as
some questions may be best understood in a near-term context while others may be best
understood in the long term. For example, some policies may seek to affect energy prices in the
near term while other policies may seek to affect long-term investments in the energy sector.
Long-term policy questions may be better addressed in the AEO projections. The international
projections in the IEO satisfy EIA’s statutory obligation to analyze “international aspects,
economic and otherwise, of the evolving energy situation” and “long-term relationships between
energy supply and consumption in the United States and world communities.”35
Most EIA projections include an assessment of uncertainty, including how sensitive the model
results are to the assumptions used (i.e., whether small changes in assumptions lead to big
changes in results). Modelers often caution against using specific projected values for
policymaking; instead, they often recommend basing policy decisions on trends and insights that
projections reveal.36 In part, modelers base this advice on the fact that projections always have
some amount of uncertainty. Uncertainty tends to increase over longer time periods, such as the
25- to 30-year timespan covered by the AEO. Structural changes or major shocks can cause large
changes in the energy system (and frequently lead to legislative action), but these kinds of events
are rarely anticipated by energy system models. Increased computing resources or advanced
methods might reduce some uncertainties in model projections, but other sources of uncertainty
(e.g., future energy policy) remain regardless of the sophistication of any model. As a result,
realized (i.e., actual) values rarely match projected values.
Every other year, EIA produces an AEO Retrospective Review. This internal analysis evaluates
differences between AEO projections and realized values. EIA notes several factors that regularly
lead to differences between AEO projections and realized values, including variations in oil
prices, economic activity, industry-specific market conditions, technology changes, and new laws
or regulations.37
Analysis
State Energy Profiles
The State Energy Data System (SEDS) is EIA’s main database with information for state-level
energy production, consumption, prices, and expenditures.38 The database has information for

34 42 U.S.C. §7545(o)(3)(A). For more information on the Renewable Fuel Standard, see CRS Report R43325, The
Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS): An Overview, by Kelsi Bracmort.
35 15 U.S.C. §790a.
36 For example, H.G. Huntington, J.P.Weyant, and J.L. Sweeney, “Modeling for Insights, Not Numbers: The
Experiences of the Energy Modeling Forum,” Omega, vol. 10, no. 5 (August 1982), pp. 449-462.
37 EIA, AEO Retrospective Review, 2018, December 12, 2018.
38 Expenditures are the total amount of money paid by consumers for energy, and are generally calculated as the
amount of energy consumed times the price of each unit of energy. For example, a consumer’s monthly expenditure for
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U.S. states from 1960 to the present. SEDS also has information for the District of Columbia and
U.S. territories, though only for more recent years. EIA makes adjustments in the database to
allow “apples-to-apples” comparisons. For example, data collection practices have changed from
the 1960s to today. EIA has developed methods to account for these differences so that data can
be compared between years.
The SEDS provides state rankings, quick facts about energy production and consumption in each
state, maps of energy infrastructure in each state, and other information.39 Data are updated
annually, with an approximate 18-month time lag to allow for data processing.
Country Analysis
EIA produces periodic Country Analysis Briefs containing data and analysis for energy
production and consumption in many countries. These publications use internal EIA analysis as
well as information from other organizations (e.g., foreign governments, news reports). The
database also includes information on country rankings, including data on the top energy
consumers and producers (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Energy Production Country Rankings
Based on 2017 energy production data

Source: EIA, “Rankings About Energy in the World,” at https://www.eia.gov/international/overview/world.
EIA’s databases of international statistics also include country-specific energy production, energy
consumption, gross domestic product (GDP), population, and carbon dioxide emissions.
Today in Energy
Today in Energy articles are timely, short pieces with energy information and analysis designed to
educate the public.40 The Today in Energy series gives all energy topics an outlet for timely data
and analysis. The series also links to larger reports and other data providing the reader with
additional background information. The reader can access information about the latest energy
trends supported by EIA analysis.
EIA created the Today in Energy daily energy series as a public-facing daily report on timely
energy data. EIA has published the series nearly every day since the series began on February 9,

gasoline is the total amount of money spent on gasoline in one month.
39 Rankings include U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Quick facts and maps are available for U.S. states, the
District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.
40 EIA, “About Today in Energy,” available at https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/about.php.
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2011.41 The series built upon a previously internal daily energy report that EIA issued beginning
on August 28, 2009. The internal product was designed to be a single page of information for
briefing high-level EIA staff.42 It provided quick and easily accessible data all on one page,
instead of having to go to various sources. These one-page reports typically included analytical
text with a graphic or data visual to illustrate and contextualize the daily topic.
Energy Subsidy Reports
Since 1992, EIA has produced a series of reports on U.S. energy subsidies in response to
congressional requests. These reports estimate the value of federal energy subsidies based on
direct expenditures to producers and consumers, tax expenditures, research and development
activities, and federal electricity support. Federal electricity support includes electricity sold by
the Tennessee Valley Authority, Bonneville Power Administration, and other Power Marketing
Administrations as well as loans and loan guarantees made by the U.S. Department of
Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service.43
EIA Domestic Data
EIA collects and estimates primary data for many aspects of U.S. energy. These data are
discussed in more detail below. The groupings used for domestic energy information below are
the same groupings of “Sources & Uses” that EIA provides on its website. EIA also publishes
some energy industry data collected by other federal agencies.
EIA primarily publishes data on its website according to energy sources and use: Petroleum &
Other Liquids, Natural Gas, Electricity, Consumption & Efficiency, Coal, Renewables &
Alternative Fuels, Nuclear & Uranium, and Total Energy. Within each category, information is
divided between Overview, Data, and Analysis & Projections tabs of the relevant section of the
website. The Overview tab provides general information on the energy source or use. The Data
tab breaks the data into relevant categories. The Analysis & Projections tab provides different
reports that EIA undertakes with the data it collects.
Petroleum & Other Liquids
The Petroleum & Other Liquids category contains the most data and reports of all the different
fuels EIA covers. Data are divided into categories: Summary, Prices, Crude Reserves and
Production, Refining and Processing, Imports/Exports, Movements, Stocks, and
Consumption/Sales. Within each of these categories are additional sub-categories. Further, EIA
uses the data to produce its analytical reports. As the oil industry changes, EIA may modify its
collection of data. As an example, EIA currently breaks out oil production to include data for tight
oil,44 which now makes up most of U.S. oil production.

41 EIA, “Today in Energy, February 2011,” available at https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/archive.php?my=Feb2011.
42 Telephone call with Owen Comstock, Management Lead, EIA, May 28, 2020.
43 For background on Power Marketing Administrations, see CRS Report R45548, The Power Marketing
Administrations: Background and Current Issues, by Richard J. Campbell. For background on the Rural Utilities
Service, see the section “USDA Rural Utilities Service (RUS)” in CRS Report RL31837, An Overview of USDA Rural
Development Programs, by Tadlock Cowan.
44 Tight oil is oil contained in formations that have low permeability and porosity, such as shales, and need artificial
stimulation through techniques like hydraulic fracturing.
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Natural Gas
Natural gas’s share of the U.S. energy mix has grown since EIA’s establishment (see Figure 1),
and EIA has increased its analysis of the sector and the data it collects. EIA’s Natural Gas data is
broken down into the following categories: Summary, Prices, Exploration & Reserves,
Production, Imports/Exports, Pipelines, Storage, and Consumption. Within each category are sub-
categories to make the data easier to search.
Electricity
EIA’s electricity data cover the following aspects of the electric power industry:
 Power plant characteristics (e.g., location, generating capacity, energy source,
environmental control equipment, first year of operation);
 Power plant operations (e.g., generation, fuel consumption, air emissions);
 Sales to customers, including net metered electricity;45
 Electricity imports and exports; and
 Electricity flows between regions within the United States (i.e., interchange).
EIA collects and releases these data over different timescales, such as hourly (interchange only),
monthly, or annually. Most data cover all U.S. states and the District of Columbia. EIA collects
some electricity data for U.S. territories as well. Interchange data only cover the contiguous
United States.
EIA occasionally changes electricity data collection based on changes in the industry. For
example, EIA began collecting information about small-scale solar (i.e., solar power plants with
less than one megawatt capacity) in 2014.
Consumption & Efficiency
EIA estimates energy consumption in buildings, primarily through three surveys: the Commercial
Buildings Energy Consumption Survey (CBECS), the Manufacturing Energy Consumption
Survey (MECS), and the Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS). Each survey takes
several years to complete.46 The surveys collect nationally representative information about
building characteristics, energy use, and other factors.
Coal
EIA collects data on U.S. coal production, consumption, exports, imports, stocks, and prices.
These data are collected quarterly and annually. EIA also produces weekly estimates of coal
production, based on historic trends and information collected by the U.S. Mine Safety and
Health Administration (MSHA). Coal data is broken down by state or region, coal type (e.g.,
steam coal, metallurgical coal), and end user (e.g., power plants, metal manufacturing).

45 More information about net metering is available in CRS Report R46010, Net Metering: In Brief, by Ashley J.
Lawson.
46 EIA, EIA’s Residential and Commercial Studies Require Significant Data Collection and Analysis, February 7, 2017,
at https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=29852.
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Renewables & Alternative Fuels
EIA collects data on the main renewable energy sources used in the United States: biomass
(including biofuels), geothermal, hydropower, solar, and wind. These renewable energy sources
are used by many economic sectors for many different purposes. This variability influences EIA’s
data collection methods. Renewable energy sources with a few large producers or consumers can
be surveyed directly. These include biodiesel producers and wind farms. Other renewable energy
sources are either so small or so diverse that they require estimation. These include wood for
home heating and geothermal heat pumps.
EIA’s collected renewable energy data covers:
 Biodiesel production, stocks, and sales (monthly biodiesel production survey);
 Densified biomass fuel (e.g., wood pellets) production, employment, and sales;
 Fuel ethanol production, stocks, and imports;
 Electricity generated from renewable energy (also reported as Electricity data);
 Geothermal energy for direct use and in heat pumps; and
 Solar thermal for direct use (e.g., solar water heaters).
EIA collects and releases these data over different timescales. Fuel ethanol data is mostly
collected weekly, along with other related transportation fuel data.47 Other renewable energy data
is collected monthly or annually. Most data cover all U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
EIA previously collected data related to alternative fuel use for transportation, including
alternative fuel production and the size of the alternative fuel vehicle (AFV) fleet. EIA’s fleet
survey had covered federal and state government fleets, transit agency fleets, and fuel provider
fleets. EIA suspended this survey in 2019 because it determined the survey scope no longer
reflected the U.S. AFV fleet.48 Specifically, EIA determined that the private sector and households
owned most AFVs by 2019, and are outside EIA’s survey scope.
Nuclear and Uranium
U.S. nuclear energy data reported by EIA includes nuclear power generation and capacity, nuclear
power plant outages, and spent nuclear fuel discharges and storage. Uranium statistics from EIA
include U.S. mine production, mill production of uranium concentrate, exploration drilling and
costs, mining and milling employment, reserves, and prices. EIA also reports uranium industry-
related data, such as the operating status of U.S. uranium mines and mills and their capacity, types
of mines and mills, mine and mill ownership, and foreign and domestic uranium purchases.
EIA’s nuclear power generation statistics come from monthly and annual surveys of all types of
U.S. power producers, including non-utility generators. A separate EIA survey provides data on
nuclear power plant capacity and ownership. Spent fuel data comes from an EIA survey of all
U.S. nuclear power plant owners, including non-utility generators. According to EIA, “Data are
collected on all discharged nuclear fuel assemblies, projected assembly discharges, nuclear fuel

47 Ethanol used for transportation is primarily blended with gasoline. EIA collects data on gasoline and other petroleum
products weekly.
48 EIA, Changes to Form EIA-886, Annual Survey of Alternative Fueled Vehicles, at https://www.eia.gov/survey/form/
eia_886/form.pdf.
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storage capacities and inventories, reactor operating history, other fuel and nonfuel radioactive
waste, and low-level waste resulting from decommissioning operations.”49
Uranium data reported by EIA come primarily from an annual domestic uranium production
survey, which includes uranium milling and in-situ leach processing, feed sources, mining,
employment, drilling, expenditures, and reserve estimates. EIA also conducts a survey on
uranium contracts and deliveries. Because of the small number of currently active U.S. uranium
mining and milling companies, the information in many categories in EIA’s uranium reports is
“withheld to avoid disclosure of individual company data.”50
EIA International Data
EIA collects data from numerous different sources to compile international data, including the
International Energy Agency, the World Bank, and the United Nations, as well as data reported by
governments directly. The United States is a member of several of these international
organizations, and EIA, on behalf of the United States, submits U.S. energy data. The way each
organization utilizes the data and their methodologies differ and thus, despite having the same
data, they may produce different projections. Furthermore, some organizations focus narrowly on
certain sectors; for instance, the International Atomic Energy Agency publishes data on nuclear
energy.
EIA’s international database includes information collected from over 200 countries, as well as
“Regions of Interest” and “Special Topics.” Not all country data sets contain analysis, as the
sources are secondary and the available data and information ranges in depth and quality. Further,
EIA methodology is dependent on when these sources publish data and therefore the timeliness of
the information varies.51
EIA’s international database is searchable by energy topics (e.g., petroleum and other liquids,
electricity) and by selecting a country or region. Some of these data are available on a monthly
basis, while other data is updated less frequently, due to the nature of secondary data sources
noted above.
EIA Models
EIA has developed and maintains several energy sector models, described below. Generally, the
EIA models take a microeconomic approach, finding an equilibrium between factors of energy
supply and energy demand. The level of detail involved in estimating energy supply and energy
demand varies by model.52
EIA’s models support several EIA functions, including providing projections of U.S. energy
supply and demand; providing projections of international energy supply and demand; and
conducting policy analysis requested by Congress. EIA projections rely primarily on three
models: the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), the Short Term Energy Outlook model

49 EIA, “Survey” website, Nuclear Fuel Data Survey, GC-859, viewed May 27, 2020, at https://www.eia.gov/survey/
#gc-859.
50 EIA, 2019 Domestic Uranium Production Report, May 2020, at https://www.eia.gov/uranium/production/annual/pdf/
dupr2019.pdf.
51 Email communication with EIA.
52 For further discussion of energy system model design and potential applications, see CRS In Focus IF11628, Using
Models in Energy Policymaking, by Ashley J. Lawson.
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(STEO model), and World Energy Projection System Plus (WEPS+). The first two models are
used to develop projections of the U.S. energy system, and the third is used to develop projections
of the global energy system.53
National Energy Modeling System (NEMS)
The National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) is an integrated energy model of the United
States. EIA uses NEMS to produce the AEO and other projections of the U.S. energy sector, for
example policy scenarios requested by Congress. EIA began developing NEMS in the early 1990s
to support its missions to provide energy analysis.54
Integrated models, like NEMS, explicitly represent the interactions between different parts of the
energy system that occur in reality. In contrast, other kinds of models simplify the representation
of these interactions by using many assumptions. In NEMS, the supply and demand balance in
one area of the energy system (e.g., U.S. natural gas production) affects the supply and demand
balance in other areas (e.g., U.S. natural gas consumption for electricity generation).55
Figure 4. National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) High-Level Structure

Source: EIA, The National Energy Modeling System: An Overview 2018.

53 Full model documentation for the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), the Short Term Energy Outlook
model, and WEPS+ is available on EIA’s website at https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/aeo/nems/documentation/,
https://www.eia.gov/reports/index.php#T1601,T1139, and https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/ieo/weps/documentation/,
respectively. The model documentation describes the modeling approach, structure of the model, and key assumptions.
54 National Research Council, The National Energy Modeling System, 1992.
55 EIA, Annual Energy Outlook 2016 Appendix E: NEMS Overview and Brief Description of Cases, 2016.
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The model represents these interactions through different interconnected modules (Figure 4).56
This modelling architecture generally allows the model to solve for quantity and price based on
economic optimization within and between parts of the energy system. For example, one module
of NEMS estimates future U.S. oil and gas production, based on assumptions about the resource
base in different regions of the country, production technologies and techniques, and other
factors. This module’s estimate for future natural gas production is used as an input for a module
that estimates natural gas prices based on natural gas supply (from the first module) and demand
(from other modules). Most NEMS outputs are the result of economic constraints in the model.
For example, production will stop at an oil field in the model if it is not profitable. EIA adds
policy constraints to the model as well. For example, a power plant will stop operating if it
exceeds regulatory air emissions limits, even if operating the power plant is otherwise profitable
in the model.
NEMS does not estimate macroeconomic variables such as GDP or employment. EIA acquires
forecasts for these variables from a vendor and uses them as input to NEMS.
EIA makes publicly available NEMS input data and most of the computer code used to run the
model (some components of the model use proprietary software from vendors). According to
EIA, a few external organizations use NEMS, or modified versions of it, for policy analysis and
other applications, but the more common external use is as a data source.57
STEO Model
The STEO model is used to produce the monthly Short Term Energy Outlook. The STEO model
takes a different approach than NEMS to estimating future U.S. energy supply and demand. The
STEO model is an econometric model, meaning it uses observed historical relationships between
different variables (e.g., temperature and natural gas used for heating) to estimate future
outcomes. EIA collects and maintains some of the datasets used by the STEO model, but it also
uses external data from both public and private sector organizations. EIA also uses software from
a vendor to run the STEO model.58
The STEO model can respond relatively quickly to changes in energy markets because it is
updated monthly. For example, EIA provided its first analysis of the energy impacts of the novel
coronavirus pandemic in its March 2020 STEO edition, soon after energy impacts appeared in the
United States. The STEO can also provide insight into seasonal variations that the timescale of
the AEO does not capture. For example, the STEO includes estimates for seasonal (e.g., summer,
winter) fuel prices, while the AEO primarily estimates annual values.

56 In an integrated model, the output of one module becomes the input for another module. The modules interact
multiple times until they reach equilibrium, that is, when the change in output of a model upon sequential calculations
is no longer large enough to significantly change the output of another. The process is time-intensive. EIA reports that a
complete run of NEMS takes 12-18 hours using the computer equipment it had available in 2019. Computing power
(e.g., memory, processor speed) can affect the time it takes to run any computer model. Generally, systems with greater
computing power can run the same model in less time than those with less computing power. EIA, Availability of the
National Energy System Modeling (NEMS) Archive, 2019.
57 EIA, Availability of the National Energy System Modeling (NEMS) Archive, 2019.
58 EIA developed over 2,000 equations to represent different parts of the U.S. energy system in the STEO model. EIA
uses software developed by the firm IHS Markit to solve many of these equations. EIA, Short-Term Energy Outlook
Model Documentation.
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World Energy Projection System Plus
EIA’s World Energy Projection System Plus model is used to produce the annual International
Energy Outlook. WEPS+ is a modular energy model of the world. This architecture differs from
NEMS. Modules in WEPS+ are indirectly connected to each other, while modules in NEMS are
directly connected to each other. Both solve for supply and demand equilibrium, but they arrive at
that solution in different ways.
The countries and country groupings in WEPS+ are broadly divided according to whether they
are members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) or not.
According to EIA, some modules in WEPS+ may use more detailed regional data for
calculations.59
Figure 5. World Energy Projection System Plus (WEPS+) Model Regions
Used in EIA’s International Energy Outlook

Source: EIA, International Energy Outlook 2019.
Notes: OECD = Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The modules in WEPS+ independently estimate energy supply or demand using input data which
may come from other modules or from external sources. EIA uses a vendor for projections of
GDP by country, which are then used as input for WEPS+. EIA runs the modules iteratively (i.e.,
repeatedly) until an equilibrium between supply and demand is reached.

59 EIA, World Energy Projection System Plus (WEPS+): Overview, December 2019.
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Selected Criticisms
EIA’s models and projections, especially NEMS and the AEO, are prominent in the energy sector.
Their wide use suggests they have value for many energy sector participants and observers. They
also, however, have attracted criticisms.
Most criticisms concern the assumptions EIA makes when using its models to produce
projections, usually arguing that EIA insufficiently accounts for policy or technology changes.
Examples in recent years come from the wind and solar industries—each of which began
experiencing rapid technology cost declines and market growth when proponents raised criticisms
of EIA’s assumptions.60 EIA updates its assumptions each year, potentially providing an
opportunity to address some of its critics’ complaints.61
Other criticisms concern the models themselves. EIA has modified the structure of NEMS, or
modules within it, multiple times over the model’s nearly 30-year lifetime.62 DOE has proposed a
multi-year effort, beginning in FY2021, to “modernize its energy modeling capabilities” with the
aim of achieving “greater agility in EIA’s modeling system to address key current and emerging
trends, for example, the increased prominence of natural gas in the U.S. domestic energy profile,
growing penetration of renewables, and more flexible options for modeling energy-related CO2
emissions.”63
EIA Information Users
As noted above, EIA information is widely used in the energy industry and among policymakers
and the general public. EIA primarily disseminates information through its website
https://www.eia.gov. In 2019, the site had over 47.3 million page views on its approximately
207,000 web pages.64 Figure 6 shows a breakdown of EIA web users by sector, based on a survey
EIA conducted in 2019.65 A majority (54%) of the approximately 27,000 respondents were in the
private sector, including the categories business/industry, research/consulting, and finance.

60 For example, Silvio Marcacci, “Just How Off Is EIA’s Renewable Energy Outlook? How About 20+ Years?,”
CleanTechnica, April 16, 2014; Noah Kaufman, Annual Energy Outlook Projections and the Future of Solar
Photovoltaic Electricity, Institute for Policy Integrity, April 22, 2014, at https://policyintegrity.org/files/publications/
annual-energy-outlook-projections_1.pdf; Michael Grunwald, “Why Are the Government’s Energy Forecasts So
Bad?,” Politico, June 24, 2015.
61 For example, EIA, Review of Emerging Resources: U.S. Shale Gas and Shale Oil Plays, July 2011, and EIA, Wind
and Solar Data and Projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration: Past Performance and Ongoing
Enhancements, March 2016.
62 For example, Melinda Hobbs et al., “Rebuilding the Coal Model in the Energy Information Administration’s
National Energy Modeling System,” Interfaces, vol. 31, no. 5 (2001), pp. 24-42.
63 DOE, FY2021 Congressional Budget Request Budget in Brief, DOE/CF-0167, February 2020, p. 46, at
https://www.energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2020/02/f72/doe-fy2021-budget-in-brief_0.pdf.
64 Email communication with EIA.
65 Email communication with EIA.
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Figure 6. EIA Web Users by Sector
Results of a 2019 EIA survey

Source: EIA email communication to CRS.
Notes: Other category includes EIA categories Trade Association and Nonprofit, Library, and Other. Education
category includes EIA categories Student and Teacher/Professor.
Private Sector Users
The private sector—producing companies, transportation companies, energy consuming
companies, financial institutions, commodity traders, consulting firms, and other market
watchers—uses EIA-collected data and EIA-produced analysis in its own analysis and
projections. When EIA releases data, related markets may react, especially if the data differ from
what the particular market players were anticipating. To some degree, markets for all energy
commodities respond to EIA data. Oil and other petroleum liquids have the most mature markets,
so those markets may be especially responsive. Some key EIA reports for those markets include
weekly inventory or storage reports, the Drilling Productivity Report (DPR), and Petroleum
Supply Monthly (PSM). For projections, the Short-Term Energy Outlook and the Annual Energy
Outlook are widely used.
The AEO is widely used in the private sector across energy commodities. Some firms use the
AEO’s scenarios directly. Others may use the AEO indirectly, since some firms that sell energy
forecasts use the AEO as an input to their own models. Some energy sector participants and
observers have criticized EIA for inaccurately predicting energy system conditions, arguing that
inaccuracies can affect investment decisions and the commercial success of different industries.66
Congressional Users
Members of Congress can use EIA data and projections to inform their policy decisions. Other
organizations (e.g., trade associations, energy consultants, academic researchers) also provide
policy-relevant energy information that Congress can use; however, energy data comparable to
EIA’s is not generally available from other organizations because of EIA’s mandatory data

66 For example, Daniel Cohan and Alex Gilbert, “An Energy Agency’s Forecasting Flaws,” The Hill, April 1, 2016.
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submission authority. Energy system projections, however, are available from numerous
organizations. Members of Congress might choose to use projections from EIA or other
organizations. Alternatively, Members of Congress might choose other information to inform
policy decisions, given the inherent uncertainty in energy system models.
EIA’s website provides maps of some energy-related infrastructure by congressional district.
These may be useful in responding to constituent requests and informing policy decisions. These
maps are summarized in Appendix B.
Concluding Observations
Congress established EIA in the 1970s so that policymakers, regulators, and the public could have
more transparency into U.S. energy system conditions. EIA continues to fulfill this role today.
EIA can collect information through its statutory authority that private firms might not be able to
collect on their own.
The current overall U.S. energy balance is very different than when EIA was established. At that
time, the United States had a shortage of energy supply relative to its needs, but now the United
States has a net surplus (or close to it).67 Congress could choose to evaluate the desired role of
EIA given this different context. As the energy mix changes and a wider array of fuels are
integrated, EIA might need expand its data collection and analysis to fully cover the U.S. energy
sector. Expanding EIA’s coverage while maintaining its existing portfolio would likely require
additional funding, especially to meet the depth required by the market.
EIA data have become essential for the functioning of U.S. energy markets, with some markets
(e.g., the oil market) relying upon EIA data releases for price formation. The consolidation of
industry data and the transparency of published data are important components of how market
entities currently analyze the sector. The private sector uses EIA data to inform its analysis of
different energy commodities. The nature of the energy sector is one of constant change, shifting
priorities, new data and information, and varied analysis and interpretations. EIA must constantly
evaluate changes for their short, medium, and long term effects and whether or not they require
EIA to modify its collection of specific data and analytical reports.
Members of Congress may use EIA projections to inform their decisions. Members of Congress
may also use information from other organizations, such as private firms, trade associations, and
think tanks. Members of Congress could choose to evaluate EIA’s modelling capabilities,
compared to other organizations, and determine whether EIA should make changes. Changes to
EIA’s modelling capabilities could affect its annual appropriation requirement and raise other
considerations.

67 EIA, “U.S. Total Energy Exports Exceed Imports in 2019 for the First Time in 67 Years,” at https://www.eia.gov/
todayinenergy/detail.php?id=43395.
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Appendix A. Active EIA Survey Forms
EIA collects data from energy industry participants through a number a standardized survey
forms. These surveys are approved every three years by the U.S. Office of Management and
Budget (OMB) pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (P.L. 104-13). Stated purposes
of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 are to minimize the reporting burden on the public and
maximize the utility of the information collected. Table A-1 lists forms that were active as of
May 2020.
Table A-1. EIA Survey Forms
As of May 2020
Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
Alternative
22M
Monthly Biodiesel
Monthly
Form EIA-22M col ects information on
Production Survey
biodiesel production at U.S. plants.
Coal
3
Quarterly Survey of
Quarterly
Used to col ect coal consumption data from
Industrial, Commercial
U.S. manufacturers, transformation and
and Institutional Coal
processing plants, and commercial and
Users
institutional users. Information col ected
includes coal consumption, stocks, and
receipts.
Coal
6
Emergency Coal
Quarterly
Provides coal production and stocks data
Supply Survey
from U.S. coal mining companies and stocks
data from distributors that do not produce
coal.
Coal
7A
Annual Survey of Coal
Annually
Col ects data on coal production operations,
Production and
characteristics of coalbeds mined,
Preparation
recoverable reserves, productive capacity,
coal preparation and the disposition of the
coal mined. For coal preparation,
information col ected includes operations,
locations, productive capacity, disposition,
and coal prepared. The information is
disseminated in EIA reports and analyses
used by public and private analysts.
Coal
8A
Annual Survey of Coal
Annually
Col ects coal stocks data for publications,
Stocks and Coal
analyses, and statistical reports used by
Exports
public and private analysts. Data col ected
include coal stocks by state location,
exported coal by origin state, and export
revenue of coal sold during the reporting
year.
Coal
20
Emergency Weekly
Weekly
During coal supply disruptions, would be
Coal Monitoring
used to col ect information to track coal
Survey for Coal
stocks, receipts, and consumption at electric
Burning Power
utilities.
Producers
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Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
Electricity
111
Quarterly Electricity
Quarterly
Col ects import/export data from importers
Imports and Exports
and exporters of electricity, border
Report
balancing authorities, and entities authorized
to export electric energy and to construct,
connect, operate, or maintain facilities for
the transmission of electric energy at an
international boundary as required by 10
C.F.R. §§205.308 and 205.325.
Electricity
411
Coordinated Bulk
Annually
Col ects information about regional
Power Supply
electricity supply-and-demand projections
Program Report
for a 10-year advance period and
information on the bulk power transmission
system and supporting facilities.
Electricity
417
Electric Emergency
As Needed
Sponsored and col ected by DOE’s Office of
Incident and
Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability.
Disturbance Report
The form col ects information on electric
emergency incidents and disturbances for
DOE’s use in fulfil ing its overall national
security and other energy management
responsibilities.
Electricity
826
Monthly Electric
Monthly
Col ects information from utilities and
Utility Sales and
nonutility companies that sell or deliver
Revenue Report with
electric power to end users, including
State Distributions
electric utilities, energy service providers,
and distribution companies. Data col ected
include retail sales and revenue for all end-
use sectors (residential, commercial,
industrial and transportation). Merged with
861M.
Electricity
860
Annual Electric
Annually
Col ects data on the status of existing
Generator Report
electric generating plants and associated
equipment in the United States, and those
scheduled for initial commercial operation
within 10 years of the filing of this report.
Electricity
860M
Monthly Update to
Monthly
Col ects data on the status of proposed new
the Annual Electric
generators within 12 months of the
Generator Report
generator beginning commercial production,
and proposed changes to existing generators
within 12 months of the proposed change
being effective as previously reported to EIA
on the annual EIA-860.
Electricity
861
Annual Electric Power
Annually
Col ects information on the status of a
Industry Report
sample of electric power industry
participants involved in the generation,
transmission, and distribution of electric
energy in the United States and its
territories.
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Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
Electricity
861M
Monthly Annual
Monthly
Col ects information from utilities and
Electric Power
nonutility companies that sell or deliver
Industry Report
electric power to end users, including
electric utilities, energy service providers,
and distribution companies. Data col ected
include retail sales and revenue for all end-
use sectors (residential, commercial,
industrial, and transportation).
Electricity
861S
Annual Electric Power
Annually
Col ects data from approximately 1,100
Industry Report
respondents in lieu of the Form EIA-861.
(Short Form)
The Form EIA-861S col ects a limited
amount of sales, revenue, and customer
count data and, for certain respondents,
data on time-based rate customers and
advanced meter reading.
Electricity
923
Power Plant
Monthly
Col ects information from regulated and
Operations Report
unregulated electric power plants in the
United States. Data col ected include
electric power generation, energy source
consumption, and end of reporting period
fossil fuel stocks, as well as the quality and
cost of fossil fuel receipts. Data are
published for use by public and private
analysts.
Electricity
930
Hourly and Daily
Daily
Col ects hourly electric system operating
Balancing Authority
data from electricity Balancing Authorities in
Operations Report
the contiguous United States. Data col ected
include system demand, net generation, and
interchange and are submitted on an hourly
(for demand) and daily (for all data types)
basis.
End Use
457
Residential Energy
Quadrennial
Col ects national and regional data on
(A-G)
Consumption Survey
energy use in the residential sector of the
(RECS)
economy. For the 2015 RECS, respondents
completed the household questionnaire by
one of three modes: a computer-assisted
personal interview (CAPI), a self-
administered paper questionnaire, or a self-
administered web questionnaire.
End Use
846
Manufacturing Energy
Quadrennial
Col ect information on energy consumption
(A,B)
Consumption Survey
and energy usage patterns of the
manufacturing sector of the U.S. economy.
The information from this survey is used to
publish aggregate statistics on the
consumption of energy for fuel and nonfuel
purposes, as well as certain energy-related
issues such as energy prices, on-site
electricity generation, purchases of
electricity from utilities and nonutilities, and,
occasionally, the capability to switch fuels.
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Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
End Use
871
Commercial Buildings
Quadrennial
Col ects national and regional information
Energy Consumption
on the consumption of, and expenditures
Survey (CBECS)
for, energy in the commercial buildings
sector of the economy as well as the
number and square footage of U.S.
commercial buildings by various energy-
related building characteristics.
Natural Gas
176
Annual Report of
Annually
Data col ected include the origin of natural
Natural and
gas supplies and the disposition of natural
Supplemental Gas
gas on a state basis. Respondents include
Supply and Disposition
natural and synthetic gas producers,
processors, distributors, and storage.
Natural Gas
191
Monthly Underground
Monthly
Working and base gas in reservoirs,
Gas Storage Report
injections, withdrawals, and location of
reservoirs are reported by operators of all
underground natural gas storage fields on a
monthly basis.
Natural Gas
746R
Import and Export of
Monthly
On a monthly basis, companies with a
Natural Gas
permit must report certain basic
information to DOE on the imports or
exports of the time period. Quarterly,
companies must report more detailed
information on their imports or exports.
Natural Gas
757
Natural Gas
As Needed
Detailed plant-level information is col ected
Processing Plant
on the capacity, status, and operations of
Survey
natural gas processing plants to monitor
supply constraints during periods of
disruption due to a natural disaster, such as
a hurricane.
Natural Gas
857
Monthly Report of
Monthly
Volume and cost data on natural gas
Natural Gas Purchases
delivered to residential, commercial, and
and Deliveries to
industrial consumers are reported by a
Consumers
sample of natural gas companies that deliver
to consumers in the United States.
Natural Gas
895
Annual Quantity and
Annually
Annual production data are col ected from
Value of Natural Gas
the appropriate agencies of the natural gas
Production Report
producing states.
Natural Gas
910
Monthly Natural Gas
Monthly
Col ects information on natural gas sales
Marketers Survey
from marketers in selected states that have
active customer choice programs.
Information on the volume and revenue for
natural gas commodity sales and any
receipts for distribution charges and taxes
associated with the sale of natural gas are
requested.
Natural Gas
912
Weekly Underground
Weekly
Col ects information on natural gas
Natural Gas Storage
inventories held in U.S. underground storage
Report
facilities. Storage estimates are col ected for
five multi-state regions comprising the lower
48 states.
Natural Gas
64A
Annual Report of the
Annually
Col ects data that are used to estimate
Liquids
Origin of Natural Gas
natural gas plant liquids production and
Liquids Production
reserves by state and region.
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Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
Natural Gas
816
Monthly Natural Gas
Monthly
Col ects information regarding the balance
Liquids
Liquids Report
between the supply (i.e., beginning stocks,
receipts, and production) and disposition
(i.e., input, shipments, fuel use and losses,
and ending stocks) of natural gas liquids.
Nuclear
830G
Standard Contract
Quarterly
Form NWPA-830G, Appendix G—Standard
Disposal of Spent
Remittance Advice for Payment of Fees and
Nuclear Fuel and/or
Annex A to Appendix G—Standard
High Level Radioactive
Remittance Advice for Payment of Fees are
Waste—Appendix G
part of the Standard Contract signed by
and Annex A to
commercial nuclear utilities and other
Appendix G
owners of spent nuclear fuel. These forms
are designed to transmit data to DOE
concerning quarterly payments into the
Nuclear Waste Fund of ongoing fees for
spent nuclear fuel disposal.
Nuclear
851A
Domestic Uranium
Annually
Col ects data on uranium mil ing and
Production Report
processing, uranium feed sources,
(Annual)
employment, dril ing, expenditures (for
dril ing, production, and land/other), and
uranium mining. The data are used by public
and private analysts to monitor the
domestic uranium mining and mil ing
industry.
Nuclear
851Q
Domestic Uranium
Quarterly
Col ects data on monthly uranium
Production Report
production and sources (mines and other).
(Quarterly)
The data are used by public and private
analysts to monitor the domestic uranium
in-situ-leach and mil ing industry.
Nuclear
858
Uranium Marketing
Annually
Col ects data on contracts, deliveries (during
Annual Survey
the report year and projected for the next
10 years), enrichment services purchased,
inventories, use in fuel assemblies, feed
deliveries to enrichers (during the report
year and projected for the next 10 years),
and unfil ed market requirements for the
next 10 years.
Nuclear
859
Nuclear Fuel Data
Quinquennial
Col ects data on spent nuclear fuel from all
Survey
utilities that operate commercial nuclear
reactors and from all others that possess
irradiated fuel from commercial nuclear
reactors. Data are col ected on all
discharged nuclear fuel assemblies, projected
assembly discharges, nuclear fuel storage
capacities and inventories, reactor operating
history, other fuel and nonfuel radioactive
waste, and low-level waste resulting from
decommissioning operations.
Oil and Gas
23L
Annual Report of
Annually
Col ects data on U.S. proved reserves of
Domestic Oil and Gas
crude oil and natural gas. These data are
Reserves (County
used to develop national and regional
Level Version)
estimates of proved reserves of domestic
crude oil, natural gas, and lease condensate,
and to facilitate national energy policy
decisions.
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Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
Oil and Gas
914
Monthly Crude Oil
Monthly
A sample survey to col ect state-level crude
and Lease
oil production, API gravity, and natural gas
Condensate, and
production and sales information from well
Natural Gas
operators on a monthly basis.
Production Report
Oil
14
Refiners’ Monthly
Monthly
Col ects data on the weighted cost of crude
Cost Report
oil at the regional Petroleum for
Administration Defense District (PADD)*
level at which the crude oil is booked into a
refinery.
Oil
182
Domestic Crude Oil
Monthly
Col ects data on the first marketed price of
First Purchase Report
domestic crude oil streams after production
(i.e., wellhead price).
Oil
782A
Refiners’/Gas Plant
Monthly
Price and volume data at the state level for
Operators’ Monthly
14 petroleum products for various retail and
Petroleum Product
wholesale marketing categories are reported
Sales Report
by the universe of refiners and gas plant
operators.
Oil
782C
Monthly Report of
Monthly
Prime supplier sales of selected petroleum
Prime Supplier Sales
products into the local markets of ultimate
of Petroleum Products
consumption are reported by refiners, gas
Sold for Local
plant operators, importers, petroleum
Consumption
product resellers, and petroleum product
retailers that produce, import, or transport
product across state boundaries and local
marketing areas and sell the product to local
distributors, local retailers, or end users.
Oil
800
Weekly Refinery and
Weekly
Col ects data on the operations of
Fractionator Report
petroleum refineries and fractionators.
Oil
802
Weekly Product
Weekly
End-of-week stock levels of selected
Pipeline Report
petroleum products which include stocks of
natural gas plant liquids and liquefied refinery
gases (including propane/propylene), fuel
ethanol, finished motor gasoline, motor
gasoline blending components, kerosene-
type jet fuel, kerosene, and distil ate fuel oil
by sulphur content are col ected from a
sample of petroleum product pipeline
companies on a PADD and sub-PADD basis.
Oil
803
Weekly Crude Oil
Weekly
End-of-week crude oil stocks by PADD,
Stocks Report
stocks of Alaskan crude oil in transit by
water, and stocks at Cushing, OK are
reported by a sample of gathering and trunk
pipeline companies (interstate, intrastate,
and intracompany pipelines), terminal
operators, storers of crude oil (except
refineries), and transporters of Alaskan
crude oil by water.
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Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
Oil
804
Weekly Imports
Weekly
Imports of crude oil, (including imports for
Report
delivery to the SPR), natural gas plant liquids
and liquefied refinery gases (including
propane/propylene), fuel ethanol, finished
motor gasoline, motor gasoline blending
components, kerosene-type jet fuel,
kerosene, distil ated fuel oil by sulfur
content, residual fuel oil, and other
petroleum products are provided by a
sample of importers by PADD and sub-
PADD.
Oil
805
Weekly Bulk Terminal
Weekly
Input and production of oxygenates,
Report
renewable fuels (including fuel ethanol),
natural gas plant liquids and liquefied refinery
gases, finished motor gasoline, motor
gasoline blending components, kerosene-
type jet fuel, kerosene, and distil ate fuel oil
by sulfur content are col ected from a
sample of terminal blenders.
Oil
809
Weekly Oxygenate
Weekly
Denatured and undenatured fuel ethanol
Report
production and end-of-week stocks are
reported by a sample of all facilities that
produce fuel ethanol.
Oil
810
Monthly Refinery
Monthly
Col ects information regarding the balance
Report
between the supply (beginning stocks,
receipts, and production) and disposition
(inputs, shipments, fuel use and losses, and
ending stocks) of crude oil and refined
products located at refineries.
Oil
812
Monthly Product
Monthly
End-of-month stock levels and movements
Pipeline Report
of petroleum products transported by
pipeline are reported on a custody basis by
all product pipeline companies.
Oil
813
Monthly Crude Oil
Monthly
Col ects information on end-of-month
Report
stocks of crude oil, by PADD, at
pipeline/tank farms, in Cushing, OK, and
Alaskan crude oil in transit by water. In
addition, receipts of domestic crude oil by
the Strategic Petroleum Reserve,
movements of crude oil by pipeline between
PADDs, and storage capacity are col ected
for working, shell in operation, and shell
idle.
Oil
814
Monthly Imports
Monthly
Col ects data on imports of crude oil and
Report
petroleum products. The resulting statistics
are used by public and private analysts.
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Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
Oil
815
Monthly Bulk
Monthly
Col ects information on the balance
Terminal and Blender
between the supply (beginning stocks,
Report
receipts, and production), and disposition
(inputs, shipments, fuel use and losses, and
ending stocks) of refined products and
renewable fuels from bulk terminals. In
addition, storage capacity is col ected for
working, shell in operation, and shell idle for
several major product groupings.
Oil
817
Monthly Tanker and
Monthly
Shipments of crude oil and petroleum
Barge Movement
products between PADDs are reported by
Report
all companies that have custody of crude oil
or petroleum products transported by
tanker or barge.
Oil
819
Monthly Oxygenate
Monthly
Col ects information on fuel ethanol
Report
production capacity, fuel ethanol
production, ending stocks, gasoline blending
at fuel ethanol plants and production and
ending stocks of other oxygenates, and
storage capacity of fuel ethanol.
Oil
820
Annual Refinery
Annually
Col ects data on fuel, electricity, and steam
Report
purchased for consumption at the refinery;
refinery receipts of crude oil by method of
transportation; and current and projected
capacities for atmospheric crude oil
distil ation, downstream charge, and
production.
Oil
821
Annual Fuel Oil and
Annually
Sales of distil ate and residual fuel oils and
Kerosene Sales
kerosene by end use and state of destination
Report
are reported by a sample of fuel oil dealers
in the 50 states and the District of
Columbia.
Oil
856
Monthly Foreign
Monthly
Costs of foreign crude oil acquired for
Crude Oil Acquisition
importation into the United States and its
Report
territories and possessions are reported by
all firms reporting previously on Form ERA-
51, “Transfer Pricing Report,” as of June
1982, and all other firms importing 500,000
barrels of foreign crude oil during the report
month.
Oil
863
Petroleum Product
Quadrennial
Information is col ected on size, type, and
Sales Identification
geographic location of No. 2 distil ate and
Survey
residual fuel oil dealers, motor gasoline
resel ers, and propane resellers.
Oil
877
Winter Heating Fuels
Weekly
Residential prices of No. 2 heating oil are
Telephone Survey
reported by selected retailers in PADDs 1
and 2; residential propane prices are
reported by selected retailers of PADDs 1,
2, 3, and 4.
Oil
878
Motor Gasoline Price
Weekly
The retail cash price of self-serve, unleaded
Survey
gasoline by regular, midgrade, and premium
grades are reported by a sample of retail
motor gasoline stations.
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Fuel
Form
Title
Timing
Summary
Oil
888
On-Highway Diesel
Weekly
The retail cash price of self-serve, No. 2
Fuel Price Survey
ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel and low sulfur
diesel fuel sold for on-highway use are
reported by a sample of companies which
sell diesel fuel through truck stops and
service stations.
Renewables
63B
Monthly/Annual
Monthly/
Col ects information on shipments of
Photovoltaic Module
Annually
photovoltaic modules/cells. Large firms
Shipments Report
report monthly and small firms report
annually.
Renewables
63C
Densified Biomass
Monthly
Col ects information on production, sales,
Fuel Report
and inventory of pellet fuel and other
densified biomass.
Source: EIA, at https://www.eia.gov/survey/.
Notes: The table lists survey forms that were active as of May 2020. *PADDs or Petroleum Administration for
Defense Districts are geographic aggregations of the 50 States and the District of Columbia into five districts; see
https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=4890.

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Appendix B. EIA Maps
EIA provides visualizations of some of its energy information in interactive maps. Selected
mapping tools are described below.
U.S. Energy Mapping System
EIA’s U.S. Energy Mapping System shows the location of a variety of energy infrastructure and
natural resources, including power plants, oil refineries, pipelines, Strategic Petroleum Reserve
sites, and tight oil/shale gas plays. It is available at https://www.eia.gov/state/maps.php.
The U.S. Energy Mapping System includes a Congressional District layer that will superimpose
current Congressional District boundaries over selected maps of energy infrastructure.
Energy Disruption Map
EIA’s Energy Disruption map shows selected energy infrastructure, mostly related to oil and gas
refining and transport, alongside positions and forecasts for active severe storms (e.g.,
hurricanes). The tool is available at https://www.eia.gov/special/disruptions/.
Energy Disruption maps can be customized to show desired storm and energy information at
different scales. As an example, Figure B-1 shows the historic and forecast track of Tropical
Storm Bertha that affected the South Carolina coast and other areas in late May 2020. The map
also shows the location of some oil and gas infrastructure.
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Figure B-1. Example Energy Disruption Map

Source: EIA, https://www.eia.gov/special/disruptions/, accessed May 27, 2020.
Notes: Petroleum refineries are indicated by white oil barrels on a brown background. Natural gas processing
plants are indicated by blue flames on a lighter blue background. Pink line with orange circles indicates the
observed position and track of Tropical Storm Bertha. Black line indicates the forecast storm track at the time
the map was created.
Flood Vulnerability Assessment Map
EIA’s Flood Vulnerability Assessment Map shows flood hazard information from the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in addition to energy infrastructure location. It is
available at https://www.eia.gov/special/floodhazard/.
When zoomed in to street level, the maps can show FEMA’s flood hazard assessment for many
energy infrastructure sites. Figure B-2 illustrates features of the Flood Vulnerability Assessment
Map.
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The U.S. Energy Information Administration

Figure B-2. Example Flood Vulnerability Assessment Map

Source: EIA, Quick Guide, at https://www.eia.gov/special/floodhazard/.

Author Information

Ashley J. Lawson, Coordinator
Michael Ratner
Analyst in Energy Policy
Specialist in Energy Policy

Mark Holt

Specialist in Energy Policy

Acknowledgments
Heather Greenley, former CRS analyst, wrote the international data section in the original version of this
report.
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Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
subject to copyright protection in the United States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in
its entirety without permission from CRS. However, as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or
material from a third party, you may need to obtain the permission of the copyright holder if you wish to
copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

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