The U.S. is a big oil exporter. So why does it import most of the oil it consumes?

NPR
by Ayesha Rascoe
March 22, 2026
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1 min read

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The U.S. exports oil but imports most of what it consumes due to refinery and crude type mismatches.

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The U.S. is a big oil exporter. So why does it import most of the oil it consumes?.

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