U.S. remains world's top producer of petroleum, natural gas hydrocarbons in 2017

HOUSTON, May 21 (Xinhua) -- The United States remained the world's top producer of petroleum and natural gas hydrocarbons in 2017, reaching a record high, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Monday.

The United States has been the world's top producer of natural gas since 2009, when U.S. natural gas production surpassed that of Russia, and the world's top producer of petroleum hydrocarbons since 2013, when U.S. production exceeded Saudi Arabia's, the EIA said in a release.

Total petroleum production is made up of several different types of liquid fuels, including crude oil and lease condensate, tight oil, extra-heavy oil, and bitumen. In addition, various processes produce natural gas plant liquids, biofuels, and other liquid fuels, some as a result of refinery processing gain.

U.S. petroleum production increased by 745,000 barrels per day in 2017, driven by a 21 percent increase in oil prices to approximately 65 dollars per barrel, the EIA said.

In the United States, crude oil and lease condensate accounted for 60 percent of total petroleum hydrocarbon production in 2017, and natural gas plant liquids accounted for 24 percent.

In the EIA's May Short-Term Energy Outlook, U.S. petroleum and other liquid fuels production is expected to increase, reaching 17.6 million barrels per day in 2018 and 19.1 million barrels per day in 2019, up from 15.6 million barrels per day in 2017. Enditem