US Crude Oil Production And Growth -- Despite Fewer Rigs; Operators Choking Back Existing Wells -- February 7, 2026

Locator: 49929CRUDEOIL.

Link here. 

Five New Permits; Two Permits Renewed; What's This About Peak Oil? -- June 30, 2025

Locator: 48627B.

Peak oil? Say What? Charles Kennedy is reporting that US crude oil output hits record in April. Wow. Link here. The EIA page shows 13.468 million bopd. US field production of crude oil has exceeded 13 million bopd for the past 21 months with one exception, January, 2024, 12.554 million bopd.

U.S. crude oil production surged to an all-time high of 13.24 million barrels per day (bpd) in April, according to newly released data from the Energy Information Administration.

The increase of 0.4% over March volumes reinforces America’s standing as the world’s top oil producer and follows months of steady gains driven by improved drilling efficiencies and stronger prices.

Texas led the charge with an output of 5.7 million bpd, up 1.6% from March, while New Mexico, the second-largest producing state, posted a 0.7% increase to 1.95 million bpd. Gulf of Mexico volumes dipped slightly, but the national gain offset offshore slippage.

****************************
Back to the Bakken

WTI: $64.78. Right back where we started.

Active rigs: 32.

Five new permits, #42067 - #42071, inclusive:

• Operator: Phoenix Operating
• Field: Skabo (Williams County)
• Comments:
• Phoenix Operating has permits for five Terry Nelson wells, lot 2, section 3-159-98, 
• to be sited 410 FL and 2184 / 2304 FEL.

Two permits renewed:

• KODA Resources, two Stout permits, Fertile Valley, Divide County;

US Crude Oil Field Production Hits All-Time Record May 30, 2025

Locator: 48729PRODUCTION.

Link here. 

Production: 

• 13.488 million bopd — an all-time record.
• In past 20 months with one exception, every month in excess of 13 million bopd.
• with not one exception, in last fourteen months, since, and including February, 2024, US crude oil production has exceeded 13 million bopd.

Note: never once has Russia or Saudi Arabia produced anywhere near 13 million bopd.

US Field Production -- September, 2024, Data

Locator: 44449B.

Link here.

Data for previous two months revised down slightly.

Midday -- November 19, 2024

Locator: 44357LEGO.

Director's Cut to be released at 3:00 p.m. today. Start here at this link.

Weather: incredibly beautiful weather here in north Texas. A high of 72°F forecast; currently (1:17 p.m. CST), 70°. 

Lego: "Late Holiday, 2024 Catalog" arrived today. Wow. A dozen "nice-to-have," another dozen "really, really nice-to-have" models. But only one "must-have" model: set number 76328. Batman™: The Classic TV Series Batmobile. 

I absolutely don't have any more room or any more need for another Lego model, but this is an exception -- I'll make room. 19" long. $149.99.1,822 pieces = $182.20.

Hyperbole: from the current issue of The Atlantic --

Early in the article: 

Wow, "every president between 1901 and 1921." All four of them -- 

• Theodore Roosevelt: a great president; hardly supports the writer's thesis;
• William H Taft: as good as any president; better than most?
• Woodrow Wilson: the only Dem in this group -- 

During his first year as president, Wilson authorized the widespread imposition of segregation inside the federal bureaucracy and his opposition to women's suffrage drew protests.

His first major priority was the Revenue Act of 1913, which began the modern income tax, and the Federal Reserve Act, which created the Federal Reserve System.

At the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the U.S. declared neutrality as Wilson tried to negotiate a peace between the Allied and Central Powers. He narrowly won re-election in 1916 against Charles Evans Hughes. In April 1917, Wilson asked Congress for a declaration of war against Germany in response to its policy of unrestricted submarine warfare that sank American merchant ships. Wilson concentrated on diplomacy, issuing the Fourteen Points that the Allies and Germany accepted as a basis for post-war peace. He wanted the off-year elections of 1918 to be a referendum endorsing his policies, but instead, the Republicans took control of Congress.

After the Allied victory in November 1918, Wilson attended the Paris Peace Conference. Wilson successfully advocated for the establishment of a multinational organization, the League of Nations, which was incorporated into the Treaty of Versailles that he signed, but back home he rejected a Republican compromise that would have allowed the Senate to ratify the Versailles Treaty and join the League.

• Warren Harding: died as one of the most popular presidents in history. Ohio Central College.

David Brooks: trying to re-write history?

As mentioned earlier, I won't be renewing my subscription. 

Sanctuary City, Los Angeles: city council "poised" to pass a "sanctuary city" ordinance to bar using local resources to help federal immigration authorities. Wow.

******************************
More

Headlines over at twitter so far today:

• Netflix: from The Verge -- Netflix says the Jake Paul vs Mike Tyson fight was "the most-streamed sporting event ever."
• DOGE looking at a more efficient IRS: filing taxes directly. Has been talked about for along time; US Congress always finds way to stop it. Hopefully, taxpayers will be able to tap into their IRS accounts. 
• for investors: which trillion-dollar-tech company (or companies) will benefit?
  
• New York congestion pricing hits a snag.

US field production of crude oil (link here):

US Field Production Of Crude Oil -- September 1, 2024

Locator: 48513EIA.

The EIA data was released August 30, 2024.

In 1000's bopd.

Link here. 

Note:

• above 12 million bopd every month since August 2022
• above 13 million bopd every month since August 2023 (with one exception, January, 2024)

Month/month:

• from 13,189,000 bopd to 13,214,000 bopd = an increase of:
• 25,000 bopd
• 0,190%

In storage:

• 425 million bbls
• 25,000 x 30 days x 6 months = 4.5 million bbls
• analysts tracking the SPR: using metrics developed prior to the Bakken revolution
• US field production --
• 2011: 6 million bopd (Bakken revolution in ND reaching its stride)
  
• 2024: 13 million bopd

US EIA: link here. Domestic consumption has flatlined.

The Permian, The Bakken, And The Gulf Eating OPEC's Lunch -- This Graph Is Simply Amazing -- August 13, 2024

Locator: 48415B.

Under the Biden administration, link here.

Re-posting:

Locator: 48408PEAKOIL.

Link here. 

US crude oil field production.

Since August, 2022, not one month less than 12 million bopd.

One year later, August 2023, hit 13 million bopd and never dropped below that 13-handle except for one month -- January, 2024.

The Permian, The Bakken, And The Gulf Eating OPEC's Lunch -- This Graph Is Simply Amazing -- August 13, 2024

Locator: 48408PEAKOIL.

Link here. 

US crude oil field production.

Since August, 2022, not one month less than 12 million bopd.

One year later, August 2023, hit 13 million bopd and never dropped below that 13-handle except for one month -- January, 2024.

Back To The Bakken -- July 25, 2024

Locator: 48232OPEC. 

OPEC's oil reserves: lower than officially reported. Rystad Energy.

*************************
Back to the Bakken

WTI: $78.23.

Friday, July 26, 2024: 44 for the month; 44 for the quarter, 370 for the year
40415, conf, CLR, Chase 6-19HSL,
40321, conf, Whiting, Sanish Bay E Federal 5292 22-7 8B,

Thursday, July 25, 2024: 42 for the month; 42 for the quarter, 368 for the year
40271, conf, CLR, Sloan 3-18HSL,
40173, conf, Slawson, Cyclone 2-21-16H,

RBN Energy: three-pronged plan to refill SPR comes with challenges beyond price. Archived.

The Biden administration has been on a mission for more than a year to restock the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), which was tapped at unprecedented levels in an effort to keep crude oil and refined product prices under control after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 disrupted energy flows globally. But if returning all of the released 180 MMbbl and replenishing the SPR to pre-war levels was the plan, they’ve got a long way to go. In today’s RBN blog, we examine the steps the administration has taken to replenish the reserve and the headwinds it faces.

The SPR is the largest emergency crude stockpile in the world. It was first proposed in the 1940s, but not established until 1975 and the first barrels weren’t added until 1977, four years after Arab members of producer cartel OPEC cut off oil flows to the U.S. after it provided aid to Israel during the Yom Kippur War. At that point, the U.S. was heavily dependent on Middle East crude for use at domestic refineries. (Many still remember idling in their cars in long lines at gas stations in hopes of getting a few gallons). The reserve was aimed at bolstering energy security and meeting the nation’s pledges with the then three-year-old International Energy Agency (IEA). According to a 1974 agreement, IEA members must hold stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net oil imports, based on the previous year’s annual average. U.S. net imports averaged 2.42 MMb/d in 2023, so the total required in storage would be 217.8 MMbbl, or 58% of the SPR’s current inventory (more on that in a bit).

Essay On US Production -- Export -- Crude Oil -- April 5, 2024

Locator: 46929WTI.

Link here.

The whole essay is awesome but this paragraph is particularly interesting:

The EIA analysis noted that following nearly 40 years of annual production declines, in 2009, U.S. crude oil production experienced a resurgence, attributed to the widespread adoption of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling techniques by producers. Since then, production has continued to climb steadily.

The only interruption to this growth occurred in 2020 and 2021, when demand and prices plummeted due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Notably, recent increases in total crude oil and natural gas production in the United States have been primarily driven by the growth of production in the Permian Basin, located in western Texas and eastern New Mexico.

Time to review "Hubbert Peak Theory." The fact that the expert did not mention Hubbert Peak Theory suggests that "everybody knows.

This Chart Still Blows Me Away -- And The US Is On Track For 14 Million BOPD - March 24, 2024

Locator: 46830PRODUCTION.

Link here. 

Saudi, US, And Oil Production -- March 20, 2024

Locator: 46811OIL.

US Oil:

Link here. One of my favorite graphs. It's been a long time since we've seen this graph updated by the EIA. I wonder if folks see in this chart what I'm seeing?

If I'm reading this correctly, Saudi Arabia's production in the last ten years peaked at barely 10 million bopd in 2018 and by 2019 already on a declining slope. At low volume, 2020 and 2021, the years of the plague.

Bakken Play Production -- January, 2024, Data

Locator: 46598B.

EIA dashboards:

• Permian: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/permian.pdf.
• Eagle Ford: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/eagleford.pdf,
• Bakken: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/bakken.pdf.

Monthly increase in production from one average rig:

• oil:
• Bakken: 9
  
• Permian: 13
  
• Eagle Ford: 5
  

• natural gas:
• Bakken: 13
  
• Permian: 11
  
• Eagle Ford: 6
  

*******************************
The Charts

The Bakken

The Eagle Ford:

The Permian: 

Bakken Production Update -- January 15, 2024

Locator: 46552B.

Reported yesterday; updated today.

Peak Oil Demand -- US Crude Oil Field Production -- December 31, 2023

Locator: 46429B. 

US crude oil field production, three consecutive months, greater than 13 million bopd.

 ******************************
Peak Oil Demand

Bjorn Lomborg: IEA was wrong -- just six months ago.

  

US Crude Oil Field Production -- October 30, 2023

Locator: 45871PRODUCTION.

Link here.

Focus On Fracking -- From Last Week -- US Record Production -- October 22, 2023

Locator: 45793WTI.

Link to last week's edition.

Tonight's edition.

From last week:

US crude oil production -- an all-time high at13.2 million bopd:

US Domestic Oil Production Hit An All-Time Record Last Month, August, 2023

Locator: 45791USA. 

Barrels of oil per day. BOPD.

The EIA will update their chart this week (?). The previous high was 13,000,000 bbls of crude oil per day (bopd) back in November, 2019, just before the Covid-19 lock down. 

The last month the EIA has posted data: 12,991,000 bbls crude oil per day (bopd), July, 2023. 

The new record: 13.2 million bbls crude oil per day (bopd), August, 2023.

So, in 1,000s bbls per day (bopd):

• November, 2019: 13,000.
• July, 2023: 12,991.
• August, 2023, 13,200.

EIA dashboards:

• EIA pdf, Bakken: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/bakken.pdf
• EIA, pdf, Permian: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/permian.pdf
• EIA, pdf, Eagle Ford: https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/drilling/pdf/eagleford.pdf

Global Fossil Fuel Production And Consumption -- 2022 Statistical Report

Locator: 45452OIL.

Updates

August 23, 2023: global oil consumption nears all-time highs. Robert Rapier over at oilprice.

Original Post

Is anyone doing the math? This has been going on for quite some time. Link here.

• global oil production (liquids to include lease condensate and NGLs)
• 2022: 93.8 billion bpd (just sort of the 2019 record)
• 2021: 90 million bopd
• 2019: 94.8 million bod (all-time high)

• global oil consumption:
• 2022: 97.3 million bpd
• 2021: 94.2 million bpd
• 2019: ~ 99.8 million bpd (all-time high)

• Global producers:
• oil production: US took the lead in 2014 and has led every year since then but one
• 2022: US oil production just 3.5% short of all-time record set in 2019; 
• on pace to set new production record this year [despite E&Ps cutting back on CAPEX and drilling]
• the US enjoys a lead over both Saudi Arabia and Russia but not be much, only a million bpd
• but when you include NGLs, then the spread is amazing
• 2022:
• US: 17.8 million bpd
• Saudi Arabia: 12.2 million bpd
• Russia: 11.2 million bpd

• Global top ten consumers:
• Germany dropped out of the top-10 list
• Mexico joined the list at #10
  

Monthly Crude Oil Production Increases Over Monthly 2019 Production For Fifth Month In A Row -- August 1, 2023

Locator: 45268B.

Update, extend the record by one month.

Link here.

I've not seen anyone comment on this, yet.

"US field production of crude oil." Monthly.

This is difficult for me to articulate so I will have to "walk through it" month-by-month, year-by-year.

The EIA reports US crude oil production on a monthly basis.

Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, monthly production was showing record production and climbing month after month.

In 2020, production in

• January exceeded production in January 2019 (one year earlier)
• February exceeded production in February 2019 (one year earlier)
• March exceeded production in February 2019 (one year earlier)

Then, in 2020, production, starting in April, started to drop below production in same months one year earlier. President Trump panicked and shut down the US:

• the worst decline, y/y:
• November, 2019: 13,000
• November, 2020: 11,196

That theme continued through all of 2021: there was not one month in 2021 in which production exceeded production in same month in 2019, two years earlier, before the pandemic.

That theme also continued through all of 2022: there was not one month in 2022 in which production exceeded production in same month in 2019, three years earlier, before the pandemic.

But then, in 2023, this year -- whooo-hooo -- for the first time in four years, the monthly production in May, 2023, exceeded the production in May, 2019:

• May, 2023: 12,662
• May, 2019: 11,734
• an 8% increase

All-time monthly production record, in a 30-day month:

• November, 2019: 13,000.