In a watershed moment for the United States, it has now surpassed Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest supplier of oil.
According to PIRA, an energy analysis firm, the skyrocketing oil output over the last four years is the most dizzying ascent since Saudi Arabia’s from 1970-1974. Since 2009, U.S. oil output has climbed 3.2 million barrels per day (bpd). The total includes natural gas liquids and biofuels.
The trigger for the huge expansion is the shale revolution, which has seen areas such as the Bakken in North Dakota and Eagle Ford in Texas lead the way as U.S. supplies jumped 1 million bpd in 2012 and repeated that jump in 2013.
