US oil production at its finest since 1972

In 2008, the United States was producing an estimated four million barrels of crude oil per day and importing more than twice that amount from other countries. This oil was then refined into useful substances such as gasoline, kerosene, heating oil and other products. But, even though the country produces a lot, it is not enough. To keep up, oil companies keep looking for new sources of petroleum, and improving ways of extracting oil from these.

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Since 2008, US crude oil production has been seeing a steady rise, 80 percent to be exact, and it is forecast to reach its highest level, since 1972, in the coming year, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration gave the forecast.

The United States has already overtaken Saudi Arabia and Russia in crude oil production this year, when the country has already reached 11 million barrels of oil produced daily, just in the first quarter.

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The reason behind this surge can be found in Texas and North Dakota where shale formations provide the best locations for oil extraction. Oil companies split rocks using high-pressure liquid. This process is known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. Texas and North Dakota are now responsible for almost half of the total US oil production.

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With the conflicts in Iraq continuing to affect oil production and oil supply rising locally, it is expected that the U.S. will loosen its dependence on oil exports from this country in the coming years. Although there has not been a significant change in oil prices in the global market, changes will soon come in the following years.

Headed by Brian Alfaro, Primera Energy, LLC operates its oil business in Southern Texas. Learn more about the company here.