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The United States recorded its highest-ever crude oil production in 2025 and is expected to increase output further over the next two years, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The EIA said U.S. crude oil production, including lease condensate, averaged a record 13.6 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2025, surpassing the previous U.S. and global production record of 13.2 million b/d set in 2024. "Crude oil production in the United States, including lease condensate, averaged a record-high 13.6 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2025, breaking the previous U.S. and global production record of 13.2 million b/d set in 2024," according to the EIA report. The report said the United States remained the world's largest crude oil producer in 2025, extending a streak that began in 2018 when it overtook Russia. According to the EIA, U.S. crude oil production was around 40 per cent higher on average than that of the next two largest crude oil producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia. The report attributed the growth in production to continued improvements in drilling productivity and operational efficiency across major shale basins, enabling operators to extract more oil from each well. Production continued to grow despite lower oil prices. The average price of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil declined from USD 77 per barrel in 2024 to USD 65 per barrel in 2025 amid global oversupply, the report said. The Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico remained the key driver of U.S. production growth. Crude oil production from the basin increased by 4 per cent, rising from 6.3 million b/d in 2024 to 6.6 million b/d in 2025. The basin accounted for around 48 per cent of total U.S. crude oil production during the year. The EIA noted that shale oil and gas development has transformed U.S. crude oil production since 2008, reversing a multi-decade decline. It said shale development has made the United States not only the world's largest crude oil producer but also the largest crude oil producer ever. The report said the production gap between the United States and other major producers widened further in 2025. Saudi Arabia's crude oil production, including lease condensate, increased from 9.2 million b/d in 2024 to 9.6 million b/d in 2025 as OPEC+ gradually unwound voluntary production cuts. Russia's crude oil production averaged 9.9 million b/d in 2024 and remained largely unchanged in 2025 as voluntary production cuts and the effects of the conflict with Ukraine limited output growth. Looking ahead, the EIA forecasts that U.S. crude oil production will remain near 13.7 million b/d in 2026 before increasing further to 14.2 million b/d in 2027. The agency expects production growth to be supported by higher oil prices and continued improvements in shale well productivity. It projects WTI crude oil prices to increase by USD 22 per barrel to USD 88 per barrel in 2026. The report also said that alongside rising crude oil production, U.S. associated natural gas production has continued to grow, driven by activity in oil-rich regions such as the Permian Basin. (ANI)
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