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Why Canada has become a critical supplier of crude oil to the U.S.

Aug 13, 2024
It's an international love story of sorts, featuring "thick, heavy, goopy crude oil."
"We're now in this position where we have these very high-tech refineries that can process the really heavy crude,” says Ryan Kellogg with the University of Chicago.
Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images

What goes into OPEC's decision-making?

May 31, 2024
The cartel wants to manipulate production to push up prices and demand.
“Price is always in the background as part of the discussion,” says Mark Finley at Rice University’s Baker Institute.
Thomas Kronsteiner/Getty Images

Record hurricane season could hurt oil and gas production

May 28, 2024
U.S. refineries, which are concentrated on the Gulf Coast, could be especially impacted by destructive storms, prodding prices up.
The concentration of oil refineries along the Gulf Coast makes them especially vulnerable to big storms.
Brandon Bell/Getty Images

More oil, fewer rigs: how the U.S. became the world's top producer

Mar 5, 2024
New, more productive technology helped, along with pressure for profits.
U.S. oil production continues to break records, even though the number of active rigs has fallen by nearly 70% in the past decade.
George Rose/Getty Images

Oil-rich Permian Basin attracts buyers with resources

Jan 1, 2024
Big companies have been paying billions to acquire smaller competitors — and their drilling rights.
A mural depicting oil drilling adorns a building in Odessa, Texas. The Permian Basin region has helped the U.S. become the world's top oil producer.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Angola is leaving OPEC. What does that mean for the cartel?

Dec 26, 2023
The split was Angola’s idea. What does it mean for OPEC — the group of oil-producing developing nations — and for the country?
Angola's oil production has been roughly halved since the early 2000s. Above, an oil production storage and offloading vessel off the coast of Angola.
Rodger Bosch/AFP via Getty Images

U.S. oil producers have increased production, frustrating OPEC's efforts to prop up oil prices

Dec 20, 2023
Domestic oil production is running around a million barrels a day ahead of predictions.
This time last year, cuts by OPEC helped push oil prices above $80 a barrel. American producers took notice.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

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UAE intended to use COP28 climate summit to push oil deals

Nov 27, 2023
Leaked documents obtained by the BBC show the United Arab Emirates, a major fossil fuel producer, was looking to strike oil deals at COP28.
New documents obtained by the BBC show that the United Arab Emirates planned do business deals involving oil and gas at COP28. Above, an oil drill pump in Dubai.
Giuseppe Cacace/AFP via Getty Images

Delay of OPEC+ meeting leaves questions about oil supply cuts

Nov 22, 2023
The expectation was that OPEC countries would continue cutting back supply. Some think the delay may mean there’s disagreement about that.
A lot of OPEC countries would really like it if the price of oil was a bit higher.
Joe Klamar/AFP via Getty Images

Exxon is shelling out $60B to double its Permian production. Why there?

Oct 12, 2023
The Permian Basin, which runs through West Texas and New Mexico, produces more oil than most countries.
If the Permian Basin were its own country, it would be among the top five oil producers in the world, said Karr Ingham with the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers. Above, an oil pumpjack in Odessa, Texas.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images