this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2024
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Which could very well be the reason they held back in the past; out of consideration for oil and gas prices affecting their Western friends. Now that the biggest friend seems to have abandoned them (likely until November), that consideration is worth a lot less, weighing it against strategic benefits from reducing Russian reserves and income.
This is a common misconception - we're already the oil producing gorilla. Oil, both unrefined and refined, have been the top exports of the US for years now - well over a decade. We are the largest global producer of oil - by a huge margin - and have been for years. In 2022 we were almost 19% of the global supply - producing 50% more than each #2 Saudi Arabia and #3 Russia, and more than the next 4 countries combined.
The conservatives in the US like to say that we have to drill in an attempt to become energy independent, but we send much of our product to higher paying markets outside of our own border. Our only imbalance is in the mix of refinery capability and domestic supply type (light/heavy/sweet).