Texas Oil Facts

Apart from federal offshore areas, Texas produces more crude oil than any other state.

Texas tapped its first oil gusher in 1901, a discovery that would shape American industry and culture for the rest of the 20th century. The oil industry has changed over time, but Texas is still a major player.

West Texas Intermediate

Texas drilling produces about 400 million barrels of crude oil each year, roughly 20 percent of domestic production. Texas oil, known as "light, sweet crude" or "West Texas Intermediate," sets a market standard for quality. It is less dense and contains less sulfur than foreign imports and is easier to refine.

Refineries

Texas has 27 refineries that distill crude oil into gasoline, diesel fuel and other products. Located along the Gulf Coast, the refineries process Texas oil, shipments of foreign crude and oil drilled offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. A network of pipelines carries refined oil products from Texas to urban centers as far north as New York.

Permian Basin

The Texas oil industry peaked in 1972 when production hit 3 million barrels a day. The industry has tapped the largest and most accessible reserves, and production has since fallen by about 60 percent. The Permian Basin in West Texas, with reserves of 1.3 billion barrels, holds the most promise for the future.

References

• Paleontological Research Institution: Petroelum Research Institute: Spindletop, Texas
• U.S. Energy Information Administration: Texas
• Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts: Window on State Government: Crude Oil
• Post Carbon Institute: Energy Bulletin: Has Oil Peaked? Yes
• My West Texas: USGS Survey: Permian Basin Has Significant Oil, Gas to Be Found