The line graph provides information about the production levels of the primary sorts of fuel in the United Kingdom from 1981 to 2000. Overall, while there was a downward trend in the level of production of coal, the opposite was true for natural gas and petroleum, with petroleum exhibiting somewhat wild fluctuations.
Focusing on increases first, the natural gas experienced constant growth over the period. Starting at nearly 40 energy units in 1981, the figure remained almost unchanged until around 1989. The figure then started to increase, and doubled by 1996. Further, the pace of growth slowed, eventually hitting 100 energy units by the final year. Similarly, the production levels of petroleum rose considerably from around 92 energy units to 140 within nearly 20-year period. The figure for petroleum peaked first between around 1983 and 1987 years, reaching 140 units, and this was followed by a marked decline to 100 units in around 1991. The levels of production recovered by 2000, showing 140 energy units again.
In contrast, coal underwent a decrease in production levels. Started at 80 in 1981, the figure that then went down roughly to 40 energy units by around 1984, which was followed by an increase to 60 units in 1986 and remained almost stable until 1991. Between 1991 and 2000, the levels of coal production declined gradually to approximately 38 energy units.