According to monthly data released Tuesday by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. crude oil production climbed to a record 13.934 million barrels per day (bpd) in April—the highest monthly production rate ever recorded.
The new record surpassed March’s 13.718 million bpd by 216,000 bpd, as producers responded to the oil price spike triggered by the Iran war and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. While oil prices have since retreated as exports from the Persian Gulf gradually resume, April’s data captures the industry’s response when crude briefly flirted with $120 per barrel.
The Permian Basin once again did the heavy lifting. New Mexico set a new production record at 2.37 million bpd, while Texas boosted output to 5.83 million bpd, its highest level since November. North Dakota also posted its strongest production since November at 1.13 million bpd.
The monthly figures also help explain the disconnect that many analysts noticed over the past several weeks. Weekly EIA estimates had already suggested U.S. production was hovering near record territory, climbing from 13.66 million bpd in late March to more than 13.8 million bpd through June. The monthly data now confirms those gains weren’t statistical noise. They reflected a genuine surge in production.
The latest figures also exceeded the EIA’s own expectations. In its June Short-Term Energy Outlook, released just three weeks ago, the agency forecast average U.S. crude production of 13.7 million bpd for 2026. April alone came in more than 200,000 bpd above that projection, highlighting just how quickly higher prices encouraged additional supply.
Oil prices have fallen sharply from their wartime highs as the U.S.-Iran ceasefire remains in place and crude trapped inside the Persian Gulf continues to make its way to market. But much of the recent increase in exports consists of previously stranded barrels finally escaping the Gulf, while inbound tanker traffic remains well below pre-war levels, leaving questions about how quickly normal supply can truly return.
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
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