Despite Trump’s Claim, the U.S. Still Needs Some Middle East Oil
- Persian Gulf crude oil shipments to U.S. at a 30-year low
- U.S. refineries are optimized for heavy, high sulfur crude
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President Donald Trump said during an address from the White House Wednesday that the U.S. no longer needs oil from the Middle East, but American refineries still use the kind of oil that region produces.
Thanks to booming shale production, the U.S. reduced shipments from the Persian Gulf to a 30-year low last year. Still, Middle East crude makes up more than 10% of U.S. imports. With new oil production records being set in the Permian Basin, the country’s energy growth engine, America’s thinning reliance on Middle East crude isn’t about to reverse course.