The statements in this article are based on reliable sources and are repeated at the end of this article
Oil is like the black "king of fuel", supporting the vigorous development of industry, but when it comes to national energy reserves, China, the United States and Japan seem to be standing on different ladders.
The United States has a treasure trove of oil, from a former extraction boom to a global energy market leader today, and its oil strategy has ensured solid energy security and laid a solid foundation for the country to thrive.
On the other hand, Japan is scarce in resources, well aware that oil is the lifeblood of the country, and in the face of the reality of limited reserves, it has cleverly laid out, adopted a diversified energy strategy, and extensively sought international cooperation to ensure the stable supply of "imported oil", which has built a solid energy defense line for the country's long-term development.
So, where does China, the world's second-largest economy, stand?
01
Japan
In today's wave of high industrialization, energy has become the lifeblood of national development, and for the island nation of Japan, the problem is particularly acute.
Japan is a country with limited resources, and its oil reserves are very scarce, with proven reserves of only 8.2 million tons at the end of 2022.
Although there are occasional oil fields in Japan, these sporadic discoveries have little effect and are almost negligible in relation to the huge energy demand, with less than 1 percent of daily oil consumption being produced locally, making it almost impossible to say that Japan is in a state of "zero output" in terms of oil production.
As a result, Japan has had to look overseas and become a major oil importer, relying on external supply for 99.6% of its oil needs.
This high level of dependence was evident long before World War II, when the United States was the "main artery" of Japan's oil supply, providing more than 70 percent of its oil.
In order to alleviate its dependence, Japan even went as far as Northeast China and the Korean Peninsula to seek alternative resources, but in the end it failed to solve the problem fundamentally.
During World War II, Japan's energy crisis was aggravated by the "ABCD encirclement network", and the oil embargo of the United States and Britain almost cut off Japan's energy lifeline, forcing Japan to launch the Pearl Harbor attack in a desperate attempt to break the shackles of the energy blockade.
However, history has shown that this gamble did not save Japan from its doomed fate due to energy depletion.
To this day, despite Japan's remarkable achievements in the fields of science and technology and economy, it is still struggling to become self-sufficient in energy.
As an important ally of the United States, Japan's disadvantage in oil resources contrasts sharply with the abundant reserves of the United States, and this reality has forced Japan to continue to deepen cooperation with international oil producers and countries along transportation routes to ensure the stability and security of energy supplies and maintain the normal operation of its modern industrial society.
02
United States
In today's era of rapid industrialization, the importance of energy is self-evident, but the global energy landscape is extremely uneven, with abundant resources on one side and energy scarcity on the other.
As the blood of modern society, the exploitation and utilization of oil are directly related to the economic pulse of a country and the quality of life of its people.
Prophecies of oil depletion are rife, but the tide of technological progress has shattered these predictions time and time again, and with the leap in exploration and extraction technology, mankind has unearthed more oil treasures than expected.
The United States, a country deeply affected by Europe's Industrial Revolution, has a history of oil exploration dating back more than a century. In the summer of 1859, in Pennsylvania, Drake, a brave railroad worker, produced the first barrel of oil in the United States after a difficult time, marking the beginning of a new era of oil extraction.
At first, the "black gold" was not favored, but the bubbling crude oil from the Drake oil well quickly ignited the enthusiasm for oil production in the United States and set off a vigorous "black revolution".
From east to west, from shallow to deep, America's oil exploration and production technology continues to improve, from the first breakthrough in Texas, to the amazing discovery of the third largest oil field in California, to the magnificent picture of the North Slope oil field in Alaska, every success is the crystallization of technology and courage.
In particular, in the 60s of the 20th century, the birth of "hydraulic fracturing" technology brought back the sleeping treasures in shale oil reservoirs and greatly enriched the oil resources of the United States.
As of now, the U.S. oil reserves are among the best in the world. According to the latest authoritative data released by Oil & Gas Magazine, by the end of 2022, its oil reserves have exceeded 68.8 billion tons.
On the journey of energy demand, human beings have never stopped, and every technological leap is a brave challenge to the unknown world, and it is also a beautiful expectation for future life.
The history of oil exploration in the United States is a vivid portrayal of this belief, which tells us that as long as we have the courage to innovate and explore, the ocean of energy will always be deep and broad.
03
China
Years ago, the international community thought that China was not good at oil, but now that notion has long since been shattered. As the country's power has leapt forward, China's demand for energy has grown dramatically, and in response to this challenge, China has adopted a variety of strategies to boost its oil reserves.
China has made the most of its own "backyard", its abundant shallow oil resources, which are relatively easy to exploit despite their uneven distribution.
In particular, the black soil in Northeast China, where large oil fields were discovered as early as 1959, is still an important pillar of the country's oil supply, contributing billions of tons of "black gold" in total.
However, China is well aware that "you can't put all your eggs in one basket", so it actively goes out to the world and cooperates with other countries to expand its oil sources.
From going to the ocean to buy crude oil to directly participating in the exploitation and management of foreign oil fields, China is becoming more and more active in the international oil market.
In particular, those large-scale overseas oil field acquisitions have shown the world that China attaches great importance to and is determined to energy security.
Today, China's oil reserves are sizable, and while they are still far from those of the world's top powers, they are enough to make China more prepared to face energy challenges.
Moreover, China is constantly exploring new energy development models, such as reducing local oil exploration and developing clean energy, in an effort to ensure energy supply while protecting our clear waters and green mountains.
Looking ahead, energy is undoubtedly a powerful driving force on China's development path. China will be more open and inclusive, actively seek international energy cooperation, and at the same time uphold the spirit of innovation, bravely face new challenges and opportunities in the energy field, and push the country forward.
Resources:
[1] China Energy News: On April 23, 2024, the mainland showed its new "home base" for oil and gas energy
[2] Financial circles: On April 25, 2024, the top 10 countries with the largest oil reserves will be counted, and the estimate of reserves in the United States is controversial!
[3] Belt and Road Energy Cooperation Network: January 29, 2019, Japan