Onshore crude oil production in U.S. lower 48 states has more than tripled since January 2010, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration, driven by growth in tight oil production in Permian Basin.  Onshore production includes both legacy oil production primarily from vertically drilled wells and newer tight oil production primarily from horizontally drilled wells.

EIA said Monday legacy production decreased from 2.6 million b/d in 2010 to 2.1 million b/d in 2024.  In the same period, tight oil production increased from 0.8 million b/d to 8.9 million b/d to account for 81 percent of total onshore oil production in lower 48.  Permian Basin accounted for 65 percent of all tight oil production growth and 51 percent of lower 48 oil production in 2024.

After 2020, production in Permian Basin increased at a faster pace than production outside the Permian.  Tight oil production in Permian began growing again in 2021 after the pandemic as crude oil prices increased, but non-Permian production remained low.  After 2020, Permian tight oil production grew at a slower pace than in 2017-19, but by December 2024 Permian production reached 5.6 million b/d – up 45 percent from 2020.

The post Permian Basin drives growth in tight oil production in U.S. onshore lower 48 appeared first on Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine.