US oil output set to reach record high
The country's production has surged this year and is showing no signs of a slowdown
US oil output has flourished in 2017 and is set to reach a record high next year. Total US crude production will rise by 0.6m barrels per day next year, according to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), reaching 9.9m b/d. This would exceed the 1970 record of 9.6m b/d. This year output is expected to average 9.3m b/d, up from 8.9m b/d in 2016. US natural gas production is also expected to rise by 3.1bn cubic feet per day in 2018, up from the 2017 average of 73.3bn cf/d. Next year's increase will be triple the 1bn cf/d growth rate in natural gas production of last year, according to EIA data. By December 2018, US oil output is expected to surge to 10.1 m b/d—a 0.9m b/d rise from June 2
Also in this section
12 December 2025
The latest edition of our annual Outlook publication, titled 'The shape of energy to come: Creating unique pathways and managing shifting alliances', is available now
12 December 2025
The federal government is working with Alberta to improve the country’s access to Asian markets and reduce dependence on the US, but there are challenges to their plans
11 December 2025
The removal of the ban on oil and gas exploration and an overhaul of the system sends all the right messages for energy security, affordability and sustainability
10 December 2025
The economic and environmental cost of the seven-year exploration ban will be felt long after its removal






