US energy: what to watch in 2018
Oil production, trade, renewables and technology top our list of major questions facing America's energy industry heading into the new year
The US energy sector is undergoing a period of deep transformation: from booming oil and gas output to a revolution in the power mix and the rise of electric vehicles. These changes are raising a host of new questions for the industry. Here are a few we'll be watching closely this year. 1. How high will US oil production go? America's crude output will grow again in 2018, but the pace is likely to slow from last year. Between December 2016 and end-2017, the US likely added more than 1m barrels a day of oil production - a return to pre-crash levels of growth. The final figures for the year aren't in yet, but analysts at Rystad Energy say US crude production capacity likely hit 10m b/d by end-
Also in this section
9 January 2026
OPEC+ remains on track as output falls, with only Gabon failing to hit its output targets in December, although Kazakhstan’s compliance was involuntary
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
