{
  "id": 6653119,
  "title": "United States on track for record crude oil production in 2026",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/10/united-states-on-track-for-record-crude-oil-production-in-2026",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-10T21:00:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hellenic Shipping News",
    "slug": "hellenic-shipping-news",
    "url": "https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/united-states-on-track-for-record-crude-oil-production-in-2026/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects that crude oil production in the United States will reach a record 13.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2026, up from the previous peak of 13.7 million b/d in 2025. This projection is based on data from the Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) released by the EIA. During the first half of 2026 (1H26), crude oil production averaged 13.7 million b/d, marking a 2% increase (0.3 million b/d) compared to the same period in 2025.\n\nMost of this production growth is concentrated in two key regions: the Permian Basin, spanning Texas and New Mexico, and the Federal Gulf of Mexico. For the Permian Basin, the EIA forecasts an average production of 6.8 million b/d in 2026, representing a 3% increase from 2025. The expansion in the Permian region is primarily driven by heightened crude oil prices. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil prices have risen from an average of $65 per barrel (b) in 2025 to $84/b through August 2026, surpassing the region's breakeven price, which is the minimum required to cover operational costs.\n\nIndustry leaders participating in the March Dallas Fed Energy survey indicated that breakeven prices for the Permian's Midland Basin average $69/b and $63/b for the Delaware Basin. This higher price environment supports increased oil-directed drilling in the Permian, resulting in the rise in crude oil production. Meanwhile, the Federal Gulf of Mexico experienced a 0.2 million b/d (10%) increase in crude oil production in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. This growth is attributed to the completion of four major new projects online within the past year. However, these projects may face disruptions due to potential hurricane activity in the Gulf of America, though experts anticipate a milder hurricane season in 2026 based on El Niño conditions.",
  "summary": "We forecast U.S. crude oil production will average 13.8 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2026, surpassing the previous record of 13.7 million b/d set in 2025, in our latest Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO). In the first half of 2026 (1H26), crude oil production averaged 13.7 million b/d, 2% (0.3 million b/d) more than the ...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}