The growth of free world oil demand by 21 million barrels per day occurred in which period?

• A. 1940s-1950s
• B. 1950s-1960s
• C. 1960-1970
• D. 1970s

Answer: (C)

Rising oil demand in the free world over a decade tracks with how fast economies grow and how much energy is used for transportation and industry. In the 1960s, Western economies expanded rapidly, car ownership surged, aviation and trucking expanded, and oil remained the dominant energy source for these activities. That mix pushed free-world oil demand up by about 21 million barrels per day over the decade, so the 1960–1970 period is when that growth occurred. Earlier postwar decades were rebuilding and grew more slowly, and the 1970s brought energy shocks that changed the pattern rather than producing the same decade-long rise.