As the world grapples with the existential crisis of climate change, environmental activists want President Joe Biden to phase out the oil industry, and Republicans argue he’s already doing that. Meanwhile, the surprising reality is the United States is pumping oil at a blistering pace and is on track to produce more oil than any country has in history.

The United States is set to produce a global record of 13.3 million barrels per day of crude and condensate during the fourth quarter of this year, according to a report published Tuesday by S&P Global Commodity Insights.

Last month, weekly US oil production hit 13.2 million barrels per day, according to the US Energy Information Administration. That’s just above the Donald Trump-era record of 13.1 million set in early 2020 just before the Covid-19 crisis sent output and prices crashing.

That’s been helping to keep a lid on crude and gasoline prices.

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This is my argument for restricting supply enough to increase prices. Higher prices are incentive for every usage to find alternatives. Most of the alternatives do already exist but will never be adopted when fossil fuel solutions are cheaper

    • Zink@programming.dev
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      1 year ago

      Yep. As much as individuals may care, and corporations may give lip service to the environment, large scale usage patterns are still dictated by economics.