Petroleum in the United States

The United States is the largest producer of petroleum in the world. Petroleum has been a major industry in the United States since the 1859 Pennsylvania oil rush around Titusville, Pennsylvania. Commonly characterized as "Big Oil", the industry includes exploration, production, refining, transportation, and marketing of oil and natural gas products. The leading crude oil-producing areas in the United States in 2023 were Texas, followed by the offshore federal zone of the Gulf of Mexico, then North Dakota and New Mexico.

The United States became the largest producer of crude oil of any nation in history in 2023. Natural gas production reached record highs. Employment in oil and gas extraction peaked at 267,000 in March 1982, and totaled 199,500 in March 2024.

Despite petroleum's many uses from its large scale production, it comes with issues surrounding the environment and human health. Oil spills are a source of pollution and there is heavy water usage for oil production. Use of petroleum products generates greenhouse gas emissions.

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