U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman has released a report entitled North America — The Energy Picture II, which continues to show that North America is one of the world’s most important regions for energy – producing about one-fourth of that global energy supply and consuming about one-third of the world’s commercial energy. The report was created as a joint effort under the North American Energy Working Group (NAEWG) of the trilateral Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) represented by the three countries.

“This impressive report demonstrates the strength and vitality of the North American energy system,” Secretary Bodman said. “I look forward to meeting with Minister Lunn and Secretary Canales this summer to discuss and review our progress to secure North America’s energy future.”

The latest edition of North America — The Energy Picture II is a result of the ongoing participation of the three countries in the NAEWG. The NAEWG, established in 2001, seeks to foster communication and cooperation among the governments and the energy sectors on energy-related matters of common interest and to enhance North American energy trade and interconnections. In 2005 NAEWG became part of the SPP.

The SPP’s energy work plan reflects a range of other issues for cooperation and collaboration, including electricity, oil sands, natural gas, science and technology, nuclear, energy efficiency, regulatory cooperation, and hydrocarbons. The SPP strengthens North America’s energy markets by working together, according to our respective legal frameworks, to increase reliable energy supplies for the region’s needs and development, by facilitating investment in energy infrastructure, technology improvements, production and reliable delivery of energy, by enhancing cooperation to identify and utilize best practices; and to streamline and update regulations by promoting energy efficiency, conservation, and technologies like clean coal.

This follow-up report to the 2002 edition, updates and expands on previous information, presenting economic overviews, energy data and descriptions of planned infrastructure and new laws, regulations and policies and includes new information on the continent’s expanding liquefied natural gas sector. The first report, titled North America — The Energy Picture, combined energy data from all three countries into one report for the first time.

North America – The Energy Picture II reflects a joint perspective of the national energy departments of Canada, Mexico and the United States and serves as a reference document for use by government, business and the public. Information on each country contained in this document has been provided through the relevant country’s national energy department, which retains sole responsibility for the information on its country.