Monday, Mar. 14, 2022
Has the US lost its ‘energy independence’ under Biden?
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
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