In the past 30 years, United States has bought crude oil from 80 countries, that is more than 91 billion barrels of oil.
The EIA began carefully tracking American oil imports in 1986, meaning there is now a significant amount of historical data. From 1986 to 2016 the U.S. imported 91.2 billion barrels of crude oil, in just under 244,000 individual records.
The top ten countries are listed below by volume. These ten represent 86 percent of all imports in the last 30 years.
Total 17.3 billion barrels from Canada
Canada has provided the most oil to the U.S. – a total of 17.3 billion barrels since 1986. Imports from Canada have been growing steadily, powered primarily by oil sand production. The country has been main source of imported oil for the U.S. since 2004, and has grown significantly since then. The U.S. imported more than 3,250 MBOPD from Canada last year, nearly triple the volume imported from Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia is No. 2 U.S. oil provider at 14.5 billion barrels
Saudi Arabia has sent the U.S. more than 14.5 billion barrels of oil since 1986. It’s the U.S.’s second-largest oil source. Imports from the OPEC leader are falling however, gradually declining from the peak 1,726 MBOPD America received in 2003. In 2016, the U.S. imported 1,097 MBOPD from the kingdom, making it our current second-largest oil source.
Mexico is No. 3 at 12.1 billion barrels
Perhaps more surprising is third place: Mexico. At 12.1 billion total barrels, Mexico was actually the primary import partner of the U.S. back in 1986, and has always been in the top five sources. Production from the country has been declining in recent years however, and lower supply combined with growth in U.S. shale production mean Mexican oil exports to the U.S. have been decreasing. Current export rates are down nearly two thirds from their peak in 2004.
Venezuela has sold the U.S. 11.9 billion barrels, the fourth largest source of crude oil
Despite occasionally rocky relationships with the U.S., Venezuela has been America’s fourth-largest source of oil since 1986. The heavy oil producer has provided the U.S. with about 11.9 billion barrels of oil over the last thirty years. In 1996 and 1997 Venezuela ranked first among America’s oil import partners. Like Mexico, however, imports from Venezuela are currently declining. Venezuela’s current economic troubles and unrest will likely push imports down further.
Shale production forces out Nigerian oil, the U.S.’s fifth largest crude source at 7.8 billion barrels
Rounding out the top five is Nigeria, which was once the second-largest provider of oil to the U.S. The African nation has sent the U.S. about 7.8 billion barrels of oil in the last three decades. Imports from Nigeria are typically lighter crude, similar in grade to the oil produced in U.S. shale operations. The shale boom quickly forced Nigeria out of the U.S. market, as unconventional crude flooded the market. In 2010, the U.S. imported 983 MBOPD of oil from Nigeria. Only four years later, though, this value had fallen to merely 58 MBOPD, a drop of 94 percent. This situation is not likely to change any time soon, as U.S. shale is projected to grow significantly in 2017.
