Last year, the United States imported about half of its crude oil from Canada, Saudi Arabia and Mexico - but nil from two of the world's other top oil producing nations.
Even though the U.S. is the world’s third-largest producer, American crude oil imports represent about 63% of total U.S. oil consumed domestically.
Canada and Mexico, two of the top oil suppliers to United States, are partnered under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). America also remains long-time friends with Saudi Arabia, the world’s leading oil producer.
Still, more volatile countries like Nigeria, Venezuela and Angola account for about one third of U.S. imported oil supplies.
Top 10 USA Crude Oil Suppliers
America imported US$204.3 billion worth of crude oil in 2007 from 10 of the world’s largest oil producers listed below.
Canada … US$38 billion (17.8% of U.S. imports from top 20 oil-producing nations)
Saudi Arabia … $33.8 billion (15.8%)
Mexico … $30.3 billion (14.2%)
Nigeria … $30.1 billion (14.1%)
Venezuela … $30 billion (14%)
Angola … $12.1 billion (5.7%)
Algeria … $11.5 billion (5.4%)
Iraq … $10.9 billion (5.1%)
Brazil … $3.8 billion (1.8%)
Kuwait … $3.75 billion (1.8%).
Other Leading Sources for American Crude Oil Imports
Russia, Norway and China provide well under 2% of American oil imports. This is despite the fact that these 3 countries are among the world’s top ten oil producing countries.
United Kingdom … $2.54 billion (1.2% of U.S. imports from top 20 oil-producing nations)
Russia … $2.5 billion (1.2%)
Libya … $2.4 billion (1.1%)
Norway … $1.1 billion (0.5%)
Indonesia … $369.9 million (0.2%)
Kazakhstan … $236.4 million (0.1%)
United Arab Emirates … $232.6 (0.1%)
China … $140.9 million (0.06%).
Last year, America imported no crude oil at all from the world’s:
Fourth-largest oil producer Iran
Twentieth-largest oil producer Qatar.
America’s Fastest-Growing Crude Oil Providers
Last year, the U.S. grew its oil imports at the fastest rates from the first 4 countries listed below which collectively account for about 3% of total American oil imports. Among the larger oil importers, Nigeria had the highest percentage gain in crude oil imports from 2006.
Kazakhstan … up 258.2% from 2006 and up 275.3% since 2003
United Arab Emirates … up 147.8% and up 244.5%
Brazil … up 133.9% and up 505.3%
Libya … up 131.3% (no imports from Libya in 2003)
Nigeria … up 120.6% and up 317.6%
Algeria … up 120.2% and up 841.8%
Indonesia … up 117.5% and up 122.9%
Canada … up 116.2% and up 269.3%
Saudi Arabia … up 112.1% and up 200.4%
Venezuela … up 111.2% and up 237.1%.
Angola … up 107.4% and up 295.3%
Russia … up 102.7% and up 163.3%
Kuwait… up 100.5% and up 189.9%.
America’s Fastest-Declining Crude Oil Supplers
China and Norway head the list of relatively small suppliers that generated the largest declines in U.S. imported oil last year.
China … down 70.3% from 2006 and up 127.4% since 2003
Norway ... down 35.2% and down 52.6%
United Kingdom … down 12.9% and down 41.6%
Iraq … down 2.5% and up 237.8%
Mexico … down 0.1% and up 211.4%.
Sources for this Article
This article presents independent calculations and insights based on data drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau – Foreign Trade Statistics.
The copyright of the article USA Oil Imports by Country 2007 in Import/Export is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish USA Oil Imports by Country 2007 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.