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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Has the US lost its ‘energy independence’ under Biden?

By Austin Tannenbaum
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NO

The metric commonly used for energy independence is net exports of oil: crude purchased abroad minus crude sold abroad. After achieving energy independence in 2020, the U.S. maintained it in 2021, according to the Energy Information Administration.

The U.S. has never been truly energy independent; it has never fulfilled all its energy needs with domestic supplies. While the U.S. produces enough oil in theory to satisfy its needs, it's often cheaper to import oil from abroad. Additionally, some crude produced domestically is more suitable for export to foreign refineries.

Current oil market pressures are attributable to pandemic-related supply shortages combined with rebounding post-lockdown demand along with the recent U.S. embargo on Russian oil.

Biden's efforts to prioritize renewables over fossil fuels may reduce future domestic oil supplies, but efforts to develop alternatives could lessen reliance on imported oil.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
US Energy Information Administration U.S. Net Imports of Crude Oil and Petroleum Products (Thousand Barrels per Day)
Forbes What Is Energy Independence?
Nasdaq America Produces Enough Oil to Meet Its Needs, So Why Do We Import Crude?
Reuters Analysis: Big Oil, Biden administration spar over blame for pain at the pump
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.