Dominating US output

Two-thirds of domestic crude came from North Dakota, Texas and Gulf in April

Mike Ellerd

Petroleum News Bakken

Texas, the Gulf of Mexico and North Dakota accounted for nearly 65 percent of U.S. domestic crude oil production in April according to data released by the U.S. Energy Information Agency, EIA, on June 27.

EIA data indicate that total domestic production averaged 8.379 million barrels per day in April. Texas was the largest domestic producer at 3.001 million bpd. The second largest domestic producer was Federal Offshore Petroleum Administration for Defense District, PADD, 3, i.e., the Gulf of Mexico, averaging 1.396 million bpd. And North Dakota, with its 1.001 million bpd output, was third among the 33 states and federal offshore PADDs with crude oil production in April (see table).

Combined, Texas, the Gulf of Mexico and North Dakota produced 5.046 million bpd in April, which is 64.5 percent of the total U.S. April production. North Dakota accounted for 12 percent of total domestic production and more than 14 percent of onshore domestic production in April.

The 8.379 million bpd U.S. output in April is an increase of 1.028 million bpd over the 7.351 million bpd average domestic production in April 2013, an increase of 14 percent. In April 2013, North Dakota accounted for 11 percent of total domestic production and 13 percent of onshore domestic production.

Texas, the Gulf of Mexico and North Dakota were also the top three domestic crude oil producers in April 2013, in the same order, producing a combined 4.597 million bpd and accounting for more than 62 percent of U.S. output. Between April 2013 and April 2014, production in Texas increased 23 percent, Gulf of Mexico production increased 3 percent, and North Dakota’s production increased 26 percent.

Top 10 U.S. producers

Perhaps even more impressive is the contribution to total U.S. output from the top 10 domestic producers. In addition to Texas, the Gulf of Mexico and North Dakota, the other U.S. producers ranking among the 10 highest in April, in order of average daily production, were California, Alaska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Wyoming, Louisiana and Colorado (see table and chart). Combined, those 10 producing states and offshore district accounted for 92.5 percent of all domestic production in April.

The other 22 states and PADD 5 Federal Offshore accounted for the remaining 7.5 percent of April output. In April 2013, those same top 10 producers accounted for 92 percent of domestic output.

Montana ranked as the No. 13 U.S. crude oil producer in April averaging 79,000 bpd. That production was only a slight increase over Montana’s April 2013 output of 78,000 bpd when it also ranked 13th among U.S. crude oil producers.

PADD rankings

At 5.037 million bpd, PADD 3 (six Gulf Coast region states along with the Gulf of Mexico), was by far the largest producer of the five U.S. PADDs in April, followed at a distant second by PADD 2 (15 Midwest states), with average daily output in April of 1.588 million bpd. PADD 5 (five West Coast region states along with Alaska, Hawaii and Federal Offshore PADD 5) was third producing an average of 1.139 million bpd, PADD 4 (five Rocky Mountain states) was fourth at 577,000 bpd, and PADD 1 (17 East Coast states) was fifth averaging 37,000 bpd.

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