US crude oil output hit a new monthly record in April, with production totaling 13.93 million barrels per day, according to Energy Information Administration figures released Tuesday. The increase reflected a 216,000 bpd gain for the month as producers expanded supply amid stronger market prices attributed to the Iran war.
Production gains were concentrated in a few key states. New Mexico reported a record monthly output of 2.37 million bpd, the highest level the state has recorded. Texas, producing the largest single share of US crude, rose by 36,000 bpd to 5.83 million bpd - a level not seen since November. Together Texas and New Mexico encompass the Permian Basin, which the EIA data indicates accounts for roughly half of the nation’s crude production.
North Dakota, the country’s third-largest producer, also posted higher output in April, climbing to 1.13 million bpd and matching its highest throughput since November. These state-level moves underline the geographic concentration of US production in a small group of basins and operators.
Financial markets reflected the swings in physical output and geopolitically driven price pressure. US crude futures were trading around $70 per barrel on Tuesday. That level follows much stronger prices earlier in April when benchmarks rose as high as $117.63 per barrel.
Context and implications
The April data show producers responding to a price environment elevated by geopolitical tensions, adding supply as market signals improved. The outsized role of the Permian Basin - housed in Texas and New Mexico - is evident in the figures, with those two states collectively supplying roughly half of US crude. North Dakota’s rise further consolidates production gains among top-producing states.
While the EIA release provides clear monthly quantities and state-level totals, it does not detail operator-level decisions, investment plans or the durability of the production increases. The link between higher prices driven by the Iran war and the rise in output is stated in the data release, without additional explanatory detail on timing or operator strategies.
Data snapshot
- US crude production in April: 13.93 million bpd
- Monthly increase: 216,000 bpd
- New Mexico: record 2.37 million bpd
- Texas: 5.83 million bpd, highest since November
- North Dakota: 1.13 million bpd, matching its highest since November
- US crude futures trading level on Tuesday: around $70 per barrel; April peak: $117.63