US Oil Producer Struggles to Control Domestic Prices Amid Global Market Pressures

The US is struggling to control domestic energy prices despite being the world's largest oil producer. The country has held its position as the top oil producer since 2018, with an average daily production of 13.58 million barrels in 2025.

The shale revolution has played a significant role in this increase in US crude production. Producers use hydraulic fracturing to extract light crude from dense rock formations, known as tight oil or shale oil. However, the country's refineries were built before this shift and are geared towards processing heavy crude, which is thicker and more viscous.

The result is that the US exports light crude and imports heavy crude better suited for its refineries. In 2025, the US exported around 3.2 million to 4 million barrels of crude per day while importing about 6.2 million barrels per day. More than 60% of those imports are heavy crude, mainly from Canada.