By JOHN P. TRETBAR
Eagle Media
The U.S. extends a streak started eight years ago when we became the world's leading crude oil producer.
The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports annual output of 13.6 million barrels last year. That tops the previous record for annual production set the year before by nearly half a million daily barrels. The Energy Information Administration says output is about 40% higher on average in 2025 than that from each of the next two largest global producers, Russia and Saudi Arabia. Shale development has made us the biggest producer of all time.
U.S. crude production tops 13.8 million barrels a day for the third week in a row, rising 50,000 barrels a day this week. The government reports weekly output is nearly half a million daily barrels higher than a year ago. The four-week average rises over 13.8 million for a second week, as the year-to-date production average rises toward 13.7 million barrels a day.
U.S. commercial crude inventories rise three million barrels this week to just over 411 million. That's down 11% from a year ago, and 6% below the five-year average for this time of year.
Strategic Petroleum Reserves (SPR) drop under 320-million barrels. The Energy Information Administration says SPR is down more than six million barrels from a week ago, 83 million barrels lower than last year, and more than 400 million barrels below the highest tally ever, recorded in December of 2009.
Monthly petroleum exports set another record in April, an all-time high of 13.6 million barrels a day, up 15% from the previous record set in March. Crude oil exports set another monthly record as well, at 5.6 million barrels a day. That's up 21% from the previous record set in December 2023.
Propane exports topped two million barrels a day for the first time ever.
Total petroleum exports this week are up 700,000 barrels a day, raising the four-week average to nearly 12 million barrels a day. Crude oil exports drop by 18% to 3.2 million barrels a day. The four-week average for crude exports remains nearly 20% higher than a year ago.
Weekly crude imports are up nearly 7% to 5.6 million barrels a day. Imports are down nearly half a million barrels a day from a year ago, and are nearly a million barrels a day lower than two years ago. Imports from Canada and Mexico surged this week, Venezuelan crude deliveries dipped slightly, and Saudi imports drop to zero.
The Rotary Rig Count from Baker Hughes is unchanged from last week, up 44 rigs from a year ago, at 581 drilling rigs. The count in New Mexico is down four rigs. Louisiana is up three rigs and Texas is up one.
The Kansas Rig Count from Independent Oil and Gas Service is up one in eastern Kansas at six active rigs, and unchanged west of Wichita at eleven rigs. The total is up 30% from a year ago. We spotted drilling underway on leases in Rooks, Haskell, and Ness counties, and two pads in Gove County.
Kansas regulators okay 14 new drilling locations. There are nine in eastern Kansas and five west of Wichita, including one lease in Barton County. That's 408 new drilling permits so far this year, compared to 367 a year ago.
Operators complete 16 wells this week, with eight in Western Kansas, including two wells in Finney County and one in Haskell County.
The latest numbers from the Kansas Geological Survey show crude oil production through March averaged just under 68,000 barrels a day statewide, down slightly compared to the first three months of last year. Total quarterly output dropped from a year ago by just under 50,000 barrels or 549 barrels per day.
Ellis County is among a half dozen counties that increased output, pumping 5,536 barrels per day to lead the state.
Haskell County pumped just under 4,697 daily barrels, followed by Finney County at 4,028. Barton County production drops slightly to 3,561 barrels per day. Russell County increases to 3,305 barrels per day, while Stafford County drops to 2,194 barrels per day.
Saudi Arabia is considering expanding its crude oil pipeline to the coast of the Red Sea. Reuters reports the move would enable the kingdom and possibly its neighbors to bypass the Strait of Hormuz entirely.
U.S. crude oil prices drop half a dollar on Friday, but spike $5 on Monday. The president launched new military action in Iran, including a renewed blockade, and a possible U.S. toll on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.