What Percentage of U.S. Oil Is Imported in 2026? The Facts

At a Glance

• The U.S. has been a net total petroleum exporter since 2020, meaning it exports more oil and petroleum products than it brings in
• But the country still imports around 8 million barrels per day of crude oil because American refineries need heavy crude grades that domestic wells don’t produce
• Imports made up just 17% of total US energy supply in 2024, the lowest share in nearly 40 years
• US crude oil production hit a record 13.6 million barrels per day in 2025, though EIA expects a slight dip in 2026
• Canada alone supplies over 60% of all US crude imports. Mexico sits at around 7-8%
• OPEC’s share of US oil imports has dropped 77% since 2006
• The US-Iran military conflict that started in February 2026 pushed Brent crude above $100 per barrel after Iran declared the Strait of Hormuz “closed”
• The Supreme Court struck down IEEPA tariffs in February 2026, but a 10% temporary import surcharge replaced them almost immediately

America makes more oil than any other country and has been a net oil exporter since 2020. But it still imports an average of 8 million barrels per day. This apparent paradox is puzzling. If the US produces more oil than it consumes, why is it still importing? Honestly, it has less to do with American oil production and more to do with the type of oil its refiners have been designed to handle. That imbalance between the kind of oil produced at home and the kind of oil the refinery system demands is why imports continue despite record levels of production.

But in 2026, the import scenario is being redefined by factors more powerful than refining economics. The US-Iran conflict has driven Brent crude oil well above $100 and shut down the world’s most important energy bottleneck. The Supreme Court has voided the president’s power to impose tariffs under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA), only for the tariff to be replaced with a new import surcharge just a couple of days later.
And while US production remains close to record highs, there are signs it’s beginning to slow as the economics of drilling gets tougher. For manufacturers, chemists, and anyone else who uses petroleum feedstocks, knowing the true source of US oil and how these dynamics are playing out is extremely important.

What Percentage of US Oil Is Imported Right Now?

That’s what everyone wonders, and the answer is a bit complicated.

If you’re talking about the gross percentage of oil consumed in the US that is imported, the US still imports about 8 million barrels per day of crude oil and products. That sounds like a lot. But what many people don’t realise is that US exports more than 10 million barrels per day. In fact, the US is a net exporter. It has been a net exporter of petroleum since 2020 and it was a net exporter in 2025.

In 2024, the EIA reported that imports were just 17% of the US energy supply. That’s the lowest rate in 39 years. That was compared to 2005, when imports met about 60% of total consumption.

So how much of US oil is imported? In terms of volume, a whole lot. In terms of dependency? The US is in a very different place than it was just 10 years ago.

Where Does Most of the US Oil Come From?

When people ask where does most of the US oil come from, they usually mean imports specifically. And the answer is pretty straightforward, its overwhelmingly North American.

US Oil Imports by Country

Source: EIA Petroleum Supply Monthly, 2024 data

Canada and Mexico account for about 70% of total US crude oil imports. This isn’t by chance, its by design. The infrastructure – pipelines, refinery setups, and investments – all look to North America. In fact, the Trans Mountain pipeline project in Canada actually led to record imports in 2024.

And since 2006, the US has reduced its oil imports from OPEC by 77%. That’s a staggering decline. That’s one reason why, although the current Iran crisis is bad for the global market, it affects other parts of the world much more than the US.

Why is the US Importing Oil?

Here’s where it gets confusing. With the US producing more oil than ever and exporting more than it imports, why is it still importing oil?

It has to do with the way the refineries are set up.

US refineries, particularly the giant ones on the Gulf Coast and in the Midwest, were designed a long time ago to refine heavy and sour crude oil. You know, that heavy, sour oil from Canada and to a lesser degree from Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The oil coming out of US wells, especially of shale formations, is mostly light and sweet. Different product entirely.

You can’t just use one for the other without investing billions to re-build a refinery. So, what happens is:

• The US imports heavy crude that its refineries are designed to run on
• It exports the light crude that it has in excess
• Refineries mix imported heavy with local light to get the most yield
• It exports refined products (gasoline, diesel, jet fuel)
  

It’s not like the US needs oil imports. It’s that the system is designed for a particular kind of oil and this can’t be changed overnight and with very costly investment in refineries that operators are not keen to do.

The Iran War: How It Will Affect US Oil in 2026?

This is the largest unknown factor in the US oil market right now and is worth a section on its own.

Late in February 2026, the US and Israel started a war with Iran. By March 4, the Strait of Hormuz was “closed” by Iran and vessels were being attacked. The Strait is the world’s most important energy choke point – around 20 million barrels of oil transit through the Strait each and every day, or around 20% of global oil use.

The market reaction was immediate. Brent crude oil spiked 8% in the first two days of trading from around $71 to $77 per barrel. Prices have now passed the $100 per barrel mark as the war rages on. Jet fuel prices more than doubled in some markets. California gas prices topped $5 per gallon.

But here’s the cool thing about the US oil market. The US, with its huge domestic oil production, has been less affected than other nations. Benzine prices have increased by 5-10 cents a gallon per day in the first few weeks, which is painful but manageable. Compare to Japan, where 94% of imported oil is from the Middle East and the government had to tap 80 million barrels of oil from its reserves. Or Pakistan, which declared a state of emergency and austerity measures, including a four-day work week for offices. Or Myanmar, which has private cars driving only on alternate days.

The US situation is really different because of its sources of imports. Thanks to 70% of US oil imports coming from Canada and Mexico, and OPEC no longer being the dominant player it once was, a Persian Gulf disruption no longer threatens US oil supply in the way that it did in 2005. It does contribute to a global price spike, which Americans pay for at the bowser. But it doesn’t disrupt the supply chain.

However, the war is not yet finished. In March, Iran attacked the Ras Laffan LNG complex in Qatar, resulting in a 17% drop in Qatar’s LNG output. It’s expected to take 3-5 years to repair. Analysts have estimated that if the Strait is blocked, Brent will average $91 per barrel by 2026. That’s a substantial cost increase for industries that use petroleum feedstocks, regardless of the crude’s geographic source.

Trump Tariffs, Trade Wars, and the Supply Chain Mess

The second big factor affecting US oil imports in 2015-2016 is the tariff mess.

Here’s the timeline:

• March 2025: President Trump levied 25% tariffs on most imports from Canada (10% on energy and potash) under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)
• April 2025: IEEPA tariffs extended to most other US trading partners, ranging from 10-41%
• February 20, 2026: US Supreme Court voted 6-3 to invalidate IEEPA and disallow the President from imposing tariffs
• February 24, 2026: US administration switched to a temporary 10% import surcharge under Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974, to remain in place for 150 days

In the case of Canadian oil imports, CUSMA-compliant imports have generally been spared. Given that 95% of Canada’s exports to the US are covered by CUSMA, there’s little effect on Canadian crude oil exports. The tariffs that really matter for Canada are the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum (50%) and automobiles (25%) which are still in place.

But uncertainty is an issue. You don’t know what the tariff rate of your feedstock will be next month, so you don’t know how much to buy. And the US-Canada trade war resulted in Canadian retaliatory tariffs on US goods, provincial bans on US alcohol sales, and a general fraying of the trade relationship that has spanned decades.

For companies that need to source chemicals and industrial products that are linked to feedstock prices, this is a time when having a procurement partner that is monitoring all of these changes in near real time is important.

US Oil Production: All-Time Highs, But For How Long?

Crude oil production in the US reached a new record of 13.6 million barrels per day in 2025, a 3% increase over 2024. That’s a lot of oil. The Permian Basin alone produced 48% of US oil production, or 6.6 million barrels per day.

How that record was set is fascinating. Fewer rigs were actually operating (5% fewer than 2024), and 1% fewer wells were drilled. Output still increased because wells are more efficient – they’re producing more oil per rig than before.

But the future looks less bright:

• The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects US crude production will remain essentially unchanged at 13.5-13.6 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2016
• 2017 may be the first year since 2021 that production declines, to around 13.3 million b/d
• Why? Because the price of WTI crude oil is expected to average $52 a barrel in the base case, and that’s below the $61-62 breakeven prices reported by Permian basin producers in the Dallas Fed Energy Survey
• The Iran factor: War could keep prices higher, which could encourage more drilling, with EIA’s March 2026 forecast now showing 13.6 million b/d for 2026, up because of higher prices
• The fracking boom isn’t over But the days of easy year-on-year production increases are likely changing into a plateauing phase where production will remain at record levels with little upward movement without a geopolitical event to sustain higher prices which support further drilling.

State-by-State: Who Imports the Most?

US oil imports have different effects on different regions.

Texas is the hub for both imports and exports. Refineries on the Gulf Coast at Port Arthur and Beaumont import heavy oil from Canada and Mexico, and export facilities at Corpus Christi and Houston export light crude all over the world. The Permian Basin produces more oil than most nations. Refining capacity in Texas is greater than 5 million barrels per day.

Louisiana refines 3.3 million barrels per day, and has some of the closest integration between refining and petrochemicals in the world. Refining and petrochemical manufacturing facilities are integrated, which generates cost synergies. It’s also well connected inland via the Mississippi River.

California is the exception. California imports about 70% of its crude oil imports due to declining Alaskan production, inadequate pipeline links to major US production areas, and California’s environmental regulations, which call for particular low-sulfur grades of crude oil. The California economy has been severely impacted by the Iran war and high global prices as a result.

How Will this Affect Manufacturing and Chemical Supply Chains?

If you’re in manufacturing, chemicals or any other industry that relies on the oil industry for raw materials, here’s what the current situation in the US means to your business:

• Feedstock costs are volatile. With the Iran war, tariffs and the possibility of a peak in oil production, it’s difficult to plan for feedstock costs as they have been for decades
  
• Sourcing from North America is key. Businesses sourcing through Canada and the US are less vulnerable to Middle East events than those sourced through OPEC
  
• Documentation matters more. With tariff regimes shifting every three months, having a procurement partner who can manage COAs, trade compliance and certificates of origin is worth its weight in gold
  
• The Gulf Coast petrochemical industry is still competitive. Low-cost US ethane feedstock, access to refining and export capability allow US chemical producers to remain competitive, even in the current environment
  

Bottom Line

What percentage of oil is imported to the US? When it comes to net imports, the US is now an exporter of oil, and has been since 2020. On a gross basis, the US still imports about 8 million barrels per day, mostly from Canada and Mexico, because its refineries are designed for the heavy oil that US wells don’t produce.

The two major events of 2026 – the Iran war and the Supreme Court ruling on the IEEPA – are changing the discussion. Iran has made global oil prices uncertain. Tariffs have made relations with North America uncertain. But the underlying position of the US as the world’s largest producer of oil with an ability to move imports from a variety of sources, many of which are North American, means that it is entering this phase of uncertainty from a strong position that was inconceivable in 2005.

At Elchemy, we help manufacturers and procurement professionals whose bottom lines are affected by these energy market dynamics. Our expertise in cross-border chemical distribution enables companies to source wisely, navigate compliance issues in the changing trade environment, and keep supply chains flowing even when the world around them is not.