Proven U.S. reserves of crude oil 1899-2021

Proved oil reserves refer to the quantity of oil that is available in a certain area, and has at least a 90 percent chance of being extracted for use. Reserves, along with production and demand, are the three most important factors when oil prices are being set, and certain countries or companies can use their proved reserves to have some control over international prices.

Development of the U.S. oil industry

Today, the United States is the largest oil producer in the world, but it is outside of the top 10 in terms of its reserves. In the early 1900s, the U.S. overtook the Russian Empire as the world's largest oil producer, as oil booms in Texas and California, as well as heightened demand during the progression of industrialization, saw the industry grow exponentially. Apart from a dip during the Great Depression, the volume of U.S. reserves grew throughout the first half of the 20^th century, although the growth of oil industries elsewhere in the world, particularly in the Middle East, saw the OPEC bloc emerge as the most influential force in the global oil pricing.

The exploration of major oil fields in Alaska saw U.S. reserves spike in 1970, before both reserves and output fell in the final decades of the 20 ^th century. The U.S.'s position as the world's largest consumer of oil meant that it has been a net importer since WWII - however, the development of the unconventional oil industry in the 2010s has put the United States on course to become a net exporter in the 2020s.