United States Oil Production Today

Current production

~13.3M bbl/day

barrels per day

World share

~16%

of global output

Proven reserves

~44 billion barrels

barrels

OPEC member

No

About United States oil production

How America Became the World's Largest Oil Producer

The United States is the world's largest crude oil producer, a position it has held for most of the past decade following one of the most dramatic transformations in energy history. American oil output surged from under 5 million barrels per day in 2008 to over 13 million by the early 2020s — driven entirely by the shale revolution that unlocked vast quantities of previously inaccessible oil from tight rock formations across Texas, North Dakota, and surrounding states. Today the United States produces roughly 16 percent of total world output, more than Saudi Arabia and Russia combined.

Unlike most major oil producing nations, U.S. production is driven entirely by private sector companies responding to market prices rather than government production targets. When oil prices are high American shale producers ramp up drilling aggressively — when prices fall they cut activity quickly. This responsiveness makes U.S. production one of the most dynamic and price-sensitive in the world, acting as a natural counterbalance to OPEC production decisions.

The Permian Basin straddling West Texas and southeastern New Mexico is the crown jewel of American oil production, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total U.S. output on its own. The basin's multiple stacked shale layers mean producers can drill the same geographic area repeatedly at different depths, giving it extraordinary longevity compared to conventional oil fields that produce from a single reservoir.

The Bakken formation in North Dakota and the Eagle Ford in South Texas are the other major shale plays, together contributing several million barrels per day to the national total. Offshore production in the Gulf of Mexico adds approximately 1.8 million barrels per day from deepwater platforms that represent some of the most technically complex oil production operations in the world.

Quick Facts

United States

Production	~13.3 million bbl/day
World share	~16%
Primary regions	Permian Basin, Bakken, Eagle Ford, Gulf of Mexico
National oil company	None — private sector
OPEC member	No
Proven reserves	~44 billion barrels
Data source	EIA Weekly

Did you know

Interesting Facts About United States Oil

1

The United States went from being a net oil importer for over 40 years to becoming a net petroleum exporter in 2020 — a transformation that would have seemed impossible as recently as 2010 and that fundamentally reshaped global energy geopolitics.

2

The Permian Basin in West Texas has been producing oil continuously since 1921 — over 100 years — yet thanks to shale technology it is now producing more oil than at any point in its entire history, demonstrating how technology can revitalize even the oldest oil fields.

3

U.S. shale wells decline extremely rapidly compared to conventional wells — a typical shale well loses 70 to 80 percent of its initial production rate within the first two years, meaning the industry must drill thousands of new wells every year just to maintain current output levels.

Common questions

Frequently Asked Questions

How much oil does the United States produce per day?

The United States produces approximately 13.3 million barrels of crude oil per day according to the most recent EIA weekly data, making it the world's largest producer. This figure fluctuates week to week based on drilling activity, weather events, and seasonal maintenance at production facilities.

Where does most U.S. oil come from?

The Permian Basin in West Texas and southeastern New Mexico is by far the largest producing region, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total U.S. output. The Bakken formation in North Dakota, the Eagle Ford in South Texas, and deepwater Gulf of Mexico platforms are the other major contributors.

Why does the U.S. import oil if it is the world's largest producer?

U.S. refineries — particularly large complex facilities along the Gulf Coast — were built to process heavy crude oil from Venezuela, Mexico, and the Middle East. American shale production is predominantly light crude that many of these refineries cannot efficiently process. Rather than spend billions reconfiguring refineries, the U.S. exports its light shale crude to refineries abroad configured for it and imports the heavy crude its Gulf Coast refineries are designed to handle.

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