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Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. We need your help. More Info ### I would like to contribute One Time Monthly Yearly Join Now ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2018 in a rally in Wheeling, W.Va.: \"The United States is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world. That happened just recently.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" half-true/6479cbc723379f0ee49c269b0b9790b7.jpg.\\") ![\\"half- true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") * West Virginia * Energy * Donald Trump ![\\"President](\\" President Donald Trump on stage during a campaign rally on Sept. 29, 2018, in Wheeling, WV. (AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) By Warren Sterling October 4, 2018 # Did the United States recently become the No. 1 energy producer in the world? Energy production -- particularly coal production -- has long been an integral part of West Virginia’s economy. During the 2016 presidential campaign, President Donald Trump vowed to send coal miners back to work and end the regulations on carbon emissions sought by President Barack Obama. Coal-producing states, particularly West Virginia, responded with strong support. So when Trump came to Wheeling, W.Va., for a rally on Sept. 29, it was no surprise that he touted the nation’s record in harnessing its energy resources. \"The United States is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world,\" Trump said at the rally. \"That happened just recently.\" Is he correct? Petroleum and crude oil According to the Energy Information Administration, the federal office that collects energy statistics, 2017 data -- the most recent available -- shows that the United States ranks first in production of petroleum and other liquid fuels. The United States has a sizable lead over both Saudi Arabia and Russia. ![](\\" SiKGS8XlO3KUyrocTIrT2G1oRLeoQb9mfGTUuPmDgNacSpS03c9x7E0tGMM9DPS\\"/) It’s been a tighter contest for a subset of petroleum production -- crude oil production -- but the United States has a case for the top spot as well. EIA projections released in September 2018 show that the United States likely edged past Saudi Arabia and Russia in crude oil production sometime this summer. ![](\\" SP6sWuR5nDGpNgNXFtuOTSxC2mg91AyzRtPHtPnftCpTYJpnrJogcxLUuJqgPCrXAKQ-Kcf\\"/) #### Featured Fact-check ![](\\" ![](\\" Patrick Morrisey stated on August 21, 2018 in a Donald Trump rally in Charleston, W.Va. Says Joe Manchin \"strongly supported and voted for Hillary Clinton after she said, ‘We’re going to put a lot of coal miners and coal companies out of work.’\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" mostly-true/4ac7c61540eff5211f6a04d98a6bc93a.jpg.\\") ![\\"mostly- true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Kristen Mohammadi • September 13, 2018 Natural gas The United States also ranks first in natural gas production, according to EIA data for 2015, the most recent year available. Russia is the only close competitor in this category. ![](\\" PLiPrOwV9uJJ06PX3YbJDu0g0OJp1ZO6i1j-vk_DCmBzTshZGYDCgl872xbnkfQDdvRTlrWNg7iXDlHcyzFa3gZ2ZD00T5EY22heDXpIAcFJCKB005NsTJGw0f\\"/) Coal This is the one category where the United States is not the leader. According to 2016 data from the Energy Information Administration, the United States ranked third, behind China -- the world’s clear leader -- and India. ![](\\" soQcIY46n9RfAGoo\\"/) The question of timing Beyond the question of who’s No. 1, Trump also said that this achievement \"happened just recently.\" With the exception of the recent shift in crude oil, that’s not the case. As we noted in a 2015 fact-check, the United States has been the world’s largest oil producer since 2012, and the largest natural gas producer for years. Our ruling Trump said, \"The United States is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world. That happened just recently.\" The United States does rank first internationally in petroleum, crude oil, and natural gas production, though it ranks third in the world in coal production. Meanwhile, only for crude oil was the No. 1 spot achieved recently. For petroleum and natural gas, the United States has ranked first for years. We rate the statement Half True. Share the Facts 2018-10-05 04:41:02 UTC PolitiFact ![\\"PolitiFact\\"](\\" 4 1 7 ![\\"PolitiFact](\\" halftrue.jpg\\") PolitiFact Rating: Half True \"The United States is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world. That happened just recently.\" Donald Trump President ![](\\" a rally in Wheeling, W.Va. Saturday, September 29, 2018 2018-09-29 Read More info #### Read About Our Process The Principles of the Truth-O-Meter ### Our Sources Donald Trump, rally in Wheeling, W.Va., Sept. 29, 2018 Energy Information Administration, international data home page, accessed Oct. 4, 2018 Energy Information Administration, \"The United States is now the largest global crude oil producer,\" Sept. 12, 2018 Associated Press, \"US ‘likely’ has taken over as the world’s top oil producer,\" Sept. 13, 2018 ## Browse the Truth-O-Meter ### More by Warren Sterling ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 21, 2018 in a rally in Charleston, W.Va.: \"A few months ago, it hit where West Virginia is, on a per capita basis, one of the most successful (gross domestic product) states in our union.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Warren Sterling • August 31, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" West Virginia Republican Party stated on August 8, 2018 in a tweet: \"The American economy is continuing its longest monthly streak of job growth in history, with 3.9 million jobs added since President Trump was elected.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Warren Sterling • August 23, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" West Virginia Republican Party stated on September 29, 2018 in a tweet: \"Middle-class income rose to a record level in 2017 as the strong economy lifted the fortunes of more Americans.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Warren Sterling • November 15, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2018 in a rally in Wheeling, W.Va.: \"The United States is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world. That happened just recently.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Warren Sterling • October 4, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 21, 2018 in a rally in Charleston, W.Va.: \"A few months ago, it hit where West Virginia is, on a per capita basis, one of the most successful (gross domestic product) states in our union.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Warren Sterling • August 31, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" West Virginia Republican Party stated on August 8, 2018 in a tweet: \"The American economy is continuing its longest monthly streak of job growth in history, with 3.9 million jobs added since President Trump was elected.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Warren Sterling • August 23, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" West Virginia Republican Party stated on September 29, 2018 in a tweet: \"Middle-class income rose to a record level in 2017 as the strong economy lifted the fortunes of more Americans.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Warren Sterling • November 15, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2018 in a rally in Wheeling, W.Va.: \"The United States is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world. That happened just recently.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Warren Sterling • October 4, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 21, 2018 in a rally in Charleston, W.Va.: \"A few months ago, it hit where West Virginia is, on a per capita basis, one of the most successful (gross domestic product) states in our union.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Warren Sterling • August 31, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" West Virginia Republican Party stated on August 8, 2018 in a tweet: \"The American economy is continuing its longest monthly streak of job growth in history, with 3.9 million jobs added since President Trump was elected.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Warren Sterling • August 23, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" West Virginia Republican Party stated on September 29, 2018 in a tweet: \"Middle-class income rose to a record level in 2017 as the strong economy lifted the fortunes of more Americans.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Warren Sterling • November 15, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2018 in a rally in Wheeling, W.Va.: \"The United States is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world. That happened just recently.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Warren Sterling • October 4, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on August 21, 2018 in a rally in Charleston, W.Va.: \"A few months ago, it hit where West Virginia is, on a per capita basis, one of the most successful (gross domestic product) states in our union.\" ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Warren Sterling • August 31, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" West Virginia Republican Party stated on August 8, 2018 in a tweet: \"The American economy is continuing its longest monthly streak of job growth in history, with 3.9 million jobs added since President Trump was elected.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Warren Sterling • August 23, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" West Virginia Republican Party stated on September 29, 2018 in a tweet: \"Middle-class income rose to a record level in 2017 as the strong economy lifted the fortunes of more Americans.\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" ![\\"true\\"](\\" By Warren Sterling • November 15, 2018 ![](\\" ![](\\" Donald Trump stated on September 29, 2018 in a rally in Wheeling, W.Va.: \"The United States is now the No. 1 energy producer in the world. That happened just recently.\" ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Warren Sterling • October 4, 2018 ### Did the United States recently become the No. 1 energy producer in the world? * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 12, 2024 in an Instagram post: A video shows a body that Israel embedded with a bomb exploding during a Palestinian funeral procession. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Sofia Ahmed • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 11, 2024 in a post: “ESPN has fired Shannon Sharpe.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Gideon Hess • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 12, 2024 in an Instagram post: Former President Donald Trump admitted during the Sept. 10 presidential debate that he “blew up the Nord Stream pipeline.” ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Loreben Tuquero • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 10, 2024 in a Facebook post: Patron, Don Julio and Pink Whitney tequila recalled because they contained fecal matter. ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Elissa Slotkin stated on September 11, 2024 in a TV ad: Mike Rogers supported “laws that could eliminate IVF and birth control.” ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"half-true\\"](\\" true.jpg\\") By Caleb McCullough • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Instagram posts stated on September 11, 2024 in an Instagram post: \"Debate moderators made the false claim to Donald Trump that there is nowhere in the United States where abortion is legal up until birth.\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Jeff Cercone • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 12, 2024 in a Facebook post: ABC News fired presidential debate moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Sofia Ahmed • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Yes on 4 stated on September 10, 2024 in a TV ad: Florida’s six-week abortion law has “no real exceptions. Not for her health. Not even for rape.” ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"barely-true\\"](\\" barely-true.jpg\\") By Samantha Putterman • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Facebook posts stated on September 11, 2024 in una publicación en Facebook: Imagen muestra carnet del Partido Comunista de la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris. ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" th.jpg\\") ![\\"pants-fire\\"](\\" pants-fire.jpg\\") By Maria Briceño • September 13, 2024 * ![](\\" ![](\\" Sam Brown stated on August 28, 2024 in a campaign appearance: Proposed Nevada constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights would put “essentially no limit on access to abortion.” ![\\"false\\"](\\" ![\\"false\\"](\\" By Caleb McCullough • September 13, 2024 Load more ### Support independent fact-checking. Become a member! In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. 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The United States is now the No 1 energy producer in the world That happened just recently