Where Does the US Get Its Oil?
Mostly from itself — and then from Canada. The US imported 6.0 Mb/d of crude in the latest EIA week and exported 4.6 Mb/d. The world's largest producer still imports heavy crude because its refineries were built for it, while exporting surplus light shale oil. Here's the two-way flow explained.
This Week's Flows (EIA)
| Flow | Mb/d | Week ending |
|---|---|---|
| Crude oil imports | 6.0 | 2026-10-09 |
| Crude oil exports | 4.6 | 2026-10-09 |
| Net crude imports | 1.4 | refined products roughly offset this |
Import Sources, July 2026
| Source | Share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | 66.8% | Heavy oil-sands crude by pipeline, a match for complex Midwest and Gulf Coast refineries |
| Venezuela | 11.3% | |
| Mexico | 5.7% | Heavy sour Maya to Gulf Coast refineries |
| Brazil | 3.7% | |
| Colombia | 2.8% | |
| Ecuador | 2.7% | |
| All other countries | 7.1% |
Monthly EIA import data by country of origin; every source is ranked on US crude oil imports by country. Related: Canada's oil · US production · why refineries need heavy crude · weekly flows on fundamentals.
Top 10 Crude Suppliers, July 2026
| # | Source | Thousand b/d | Share of US crude imports | vs year ago | 12-month average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 4,155 | 66.8% | +2.3% | 3,984 |
| 2 | Venezuela | 701 | 11.3% | +9,914.3% | 299 |
| 3 | Mexico | 352 | 5.7% | +16.2% | 325 |
| 4 | Brazil | 229 | 3.7% | −11.2% | 157 |
| 5 | Colombia | 176 | 2.8% | −25.7% | 188 |
| 6 | Ecuador | 169 | 2.7% | −1.7% | 96 |
| 7 | Guyana | 142 | 2.3% | −28.6% | 235 |
| 8 | Argentina | 126 | 2.0% | −31.5% | 142 |
| 9 | Libya | 46 | 0.7% | −28.1% | 66 |
| 10 | Nigeria | 41 | 0.7% | −65.8% | 94 |
| All countries | 6,224 | 100% | −1.6% |
Monthly EIA data (thousand barrels a day). The whole ranking is on US crude oil imports by country.
OPEC, Non-OPEC and the Persian Gulf
| Group | Thousand b/d | Share of US crude imports | Share a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|
| OPEC members | 788 | 12.7% | 11.9% |
| Non-OPEC countries | 5,436 | 87.3% | 88.1% |
| Persian Gulf | 0 | 0.0% | 8.5% |
EIA's own group aggregates. The Persian Gulf row is the share exposed to the Strait of Hormuz; the 2026 disruption is documented on the Hormuz timeline. The groups overlap (Persian Gulf suppliers are mostly OPEC members), so the shares do not add to 100%.
US Oil Imports FAQ
Why does the US import oil if it's the biggest producer?
Quality mismatch. US shale produces light sweet crude, but many US refineries were built (pre-shale) to process heavy sour grades — so the US exports its surplus light oil and imports heavy crude, mainly from Canada. It's cheaper than rebuilding refineries. On a NET basis the US has been roughly self-sufficient since 2020.
How much oil does the US import right now?
Crude imports ran 6.0 million barrels per day in the latest EIA week (ending 2026-10-09), against exports of 4.6 Mb/d. Roughly 67% of monthly crude imports come from a single supplier: Canada.
Where does the US get most of its imported oil?
Canada, by a wide margin: 67% of crude imports in July 2026, about 4.16 million barrels a day, mostly by pipeline. Venezuela (11%) and Mexico (6%) follow. The Persian Gulf supplied only 0.0%. See the full ranking on the imports-by-country page.
Is the US energy independent?
By the net-flows definition, roughly yes — the US exports about as much crude and refined product as it imports, a first since the 1940s. But independence doesn't mean insulation: oil is one global market, so a supply shock anywhere still moves US pump prices, as 2022 demonstrated.