Since the invention of the internal combustion engine, oil has transformed the way we live. Cars, aircraft and other forms of transport make up more than half of today’s oil consumption. There are now 500 million cars on the road, but this could increase by five times over the next 20 years. Visit www.eia.doe.gov/kids/consumption/transportation.html to find out how oil is used in transport, and which types of transport use the most.

Yet oil is far more than fuel. Without it, many of the things we take for granted would not exist.

to read about a day in the life of DJ Slick. See if you can work out how many times oil is important in her day. to find out some other ways we use oil. Use this list to continue the story to describe the rest of DJ Slick’s day.

Fifty years ago, people used 11 million barrels of oil a day. Today, 75 million barrels are used daily.
for a map to find out which ten countries produce the most oil, and which ten countries use the most.

With oil so valuable to modern day life, it can bring huge wealth and power but many people in oil-producing regions see little of the benefits. Go to the next page to find out more.