Fossil fuel in the US show oil, natural gas, and coal still supplied 82% of the 96 quadrillion Btu of energy Americans used in 2025. The EIA’s October 2026 outlook projects record crude oil output of 13.9 million barrels per day in 2026, while coal production slips to 516 million short tons and natural gas holds 40% of electricity generation.
Fossil Fuel in America 2026
Fossil fuel statistics in the US describe an energy system that produces more than it uses. The country made 107.16 quadrillion Btu of primary energy in 2025 and consumed 96.47 quadrillion Btu, so net exports came to roughly 10.7 quadrillion Btu. Petroleum supplied about 38% of consumption, natural gas about 36%, and coal under 9%. Renewables provided about 9% and nuclear about 9%. Fossil fuels have held a share near 80% for years, and 2025 did not change that.
The 2026 story is price and supply. A conflict around the Strait of Hormuz cut Middle East output by as much as 10.9 million barrels per day in May, and Brent crude averaged $114 per barrel in September. U.S. drillers responded with record oil output, and natural gas production hit a daily record on September 17. This article covers the confirmed fossil fuel statistics in the US for 2026: oil, natural gas, coal, consumption by fuel, electricity generation, prices, exports, and emissions.
Interesting Facts About Fossil Fuel in the US 2026
| Interesting Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fossil share of US energy use, 2025 | 82% of 96 quadrillion Btu |
| US crude oil production, 2025 | 13.7 million b/d, a record |
| US crude oil production, 2026 forecast | 13.9 million b/d (EIA, October 2026) |
| Natural gas consumption, 2025 | 34.6 quadrillion Btu, about 36% of total |
| Natural gas share of US electricity, 2026 | 40% (EIA forecast) |
| Coal share of US electricity, 2026 | 16%, down from 17% in 2025 |
| Brent crude, September 2026 average | $114 per barrel |
| US retail gasoline, September 2026 average | $4.35 per gallon |
| US LNG gross exports, 2026 forecast | 18 billion cubic feet per day |
| Energy-related CO2, 2026 forecast | 4.8 billion metric tons, down 1.5% |
The table shows a system with one clear leader. Natural gas now matters more to the grid than any other fuel, with a 40% share of electricity, while oil still dominates transportation. Oil output reached a record in 2025 and is forecast to set another in 2026. Coal is the only fossil fuel losing ground in every measure the EIA tracks.
The price numbers explain why 2026 feels different from 2025. Brent averaged $69 in 2025 and is forecast at $96 in 2026, a 39% rise. Retail gasoline climbs from $3.10 to $3.91 on the same forecast. Higher prices lift U.S. drilling revenue, but they also hit households. The EIA expects the shock to fade through 2027, with Brent falling to $84 and gasoline to $3.56.
Fossil Fuel Statistics in the US 2026 – Oil Production
U.S. crude oil production has set a record in each of the last two years. The Permian Basin in Texas and New Mexico drives most of the growth, and the federal Gulf of America adds new projects.
US Crude Oil Production (million barrels per day)
2025 █████████████████████████████░ 13.7
2026 ██████████████████████████████ 13.9 (forecast)
2027 ███████████████████████████████ 14.3 (forecast)
| Oil Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| US crude oil production, 2025 | 13.7 million b/d |
| US crude oil production, 2026 (forecast) | 13.9 million b/d |
| US crude oil production, 2027 (forecast) | 14.3 million b/d |
| Permian production, 2026 (forecast) | 6.8 million b/d, up 3% from 2025 |
| Federal Gulf of America, first half 2026 | Up 0.2 million b/d (10%) year over year |
| New major Gulf projects started in the past year | 4 |
| Global crude shut-ins from Hormuz disruption, May 2026 peak | 10.9 million b/d |
| Global crude shut-ins, September 2026 | 4.8 million b/d |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2026; EIA Today in Energy, September 2026.
The forecast adds 0.2 million barrels per day in 2026 and 0.4 million more in 2027. Permian output rises about 3% to 6.8 million b/d, which means one basin alone produces about half of U.S. crude. The Gulf of America grew 10% in the first half of 2026 as four new projects came online, and the EIA expects 3% growth for the full year. Those projects keep running through price swings because they were built for long lives.
The global picture explains the price. Middle East crude shut-ins peaked at 10.9 million b/d in May and fell to 4.8 million b/d in September, and the EIA assumes shut-ins average 4.5 million b/d in the fourth quarter. The loss of that supply pulled global inventories down by 1.9 million b/d in the third quarter. U.S. producers are not the cause of high prices, but they collect the benefit.
Fossil Fuel Statistics in the US 2026 – Natural Gas Production and Storage
Natural gas production keeps setting records. Output reached a new daily high on September 17, 2026, and year-to-date production through September ran nearly 4% above the same period of 2025.
US Natural Gas Storage and Prices
Storage, end Sept 2026 ███████████████████████░ 3,523 Bcf
Storage, end Oct (fcst) ████████████████████████ 3,850 Bcf (+2% vs 5-yr avg)
Henry Hub 2026 avg $3.48 per MMBtu (2025: $3.53)
Henry Hub Jan 2026 $7.72 per MMBtu (winter storm Fern)
| Natural Gas Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Dry gas production, 2026 (forecast) | 111.7 billion cubic feet per day |
| Marketed gas production, 2026 (forecast) | 123.9 billion cubic feet per day |
| Production growth, year to date through Sept 30 | Nearly 4% |
| Share of 2026 growth from Permian and Haynesville | More than 70% |
| Storage, end of September 2026 | 3,523 Bcf |
| Storage, end of October 2026 (forecast) | 3,850 Bcf |
| Henry Hub price, 2025 / 2026 / 2027 | $3.53 / $3.48 / $3.16 per MMBtu |
| Henry Hub price, January 2026 | $7.72 per MMBtu |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, September and October 2026; American Gas Association, Natural Gas Market Indicators, October 1, 2026.
Two basins supply most of the growth. The Permian produces gas as a byproduct of oil drilling, so high oil prices push gas output up even when gas prices are weak. The Haynesville in Louisiana and East Texas produces gas on purpose and feeds LNG terminals on the Gulf Coast. Together they account for more than 70% of forecast 2026 growth. Appalachia stays large but is pipeline-constrained.
Prices tell the other half of the story. The Henry Hub price spiked to $7.72 in January after winter storm Fern cut supply, then fell back, and the 2026 average of $3.48 sits just below 2025. Storage explains the calm. The EIA expects inventories to reach 3,850 Bcf by the end of October, 2% above the five-year average, which cushions the winter. The agency forecasts $3.16 for 2027, a 9% drop.
Fossil Fuel Statistics in the US 2026 – Coal Production and Stocks
Coal is the one fossil fuel in structural decline. Power plants burn less of it each year, and the EIA forecasts production falling again in 2026 and 2027.
US Coal Production (million short tons)
2025 ██████████████████████████████ 528
2026 █████████████████████████████░ 516
2027 ████████████████████████████░░ 497
| Coal Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Coal production, 2025 | 528 million short tons |
| Coal production, 2026 (forecast) | 516 million short tons (-2.3%) |
| Coal production, 2027 (forecast) | 497 million short tons (-3.7%) |
| Power-sector coal use, 2026 / 2027 (forecast) | Down 8% / down 6% |
| Coal share of electricity, 2025 / 2026 / 2027 | 17% / 16% / 15% |
| Power-plant coal stocks, end of September 2026 | 100 million short tons (vs 105 a year earlier) |
| Coal exports, 2026 (August forecast) | 102 million short tons |
| Coal primary-energy share, 2025 | Roughly 9% of US consumption |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, August, September, and October 2026; EIA U.S. Energy Facts.
The production decline matches falling demand. Utilities cut coal use by an expected 8% in 2026 as cheap gas takes generation share, and the EIA forecasts another 6% drop in 2027. Production fell from 528 to 516 million short tons in the forecast, a decline of about 12 million tons. Planned plant retirements and a milder winter keep power-sector demand soft through March 2027.
A hot summer slowed the decline for a few months. Power plants drew coal stocks down to 100 million short tons by the end of September, 5 million below last year, to meet air-conditioning demand. Exports of 102 million short tons give producers a second market and absorb about a fifth of output. Coal’s peak consumption came in 2005 at about 22.8 quadrillion Btu, and today’s total is well under half of that.
Fossil Fuel Statistics in the US 2026 – Energy Consumption by Fuel
Consumption data show how much of daily life still runs on petroleum and gas. The 2025 totals are the latest full-year figures from the EIA Monthly Energy Review.
US Primary Energy Use by Source, 2025 (quadrillion Btu)
Petroleum ███████████████████████████████████ 35.9 (~38%)
Natural gas ██████████████████████████████████░ 34.6 (~36%)
Coal █████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ ~8.7 (computed)
Renewables █████████░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░ 8.8 (~9%)
| Consumption Metric, 2025 | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total US energy consumption | 96 quadrillion Btu, up 2% from 2024 |
| Fossil fuel consumption | 79.2 quadrillion Btu (82% of total) |
| Petroleum | 35.9 quadrillion Btu (about 38%) |
| Natural gas | 34.6 quadrillion Btu (about 36%), up 4.0% from 2024 |
| Coal (computed from fossil total) | About 8.7 quadrillion Btu |
| Renewable energy | 8.8 quadrillion Btu (about 9%), a record |
| Total US energy production | 107.16 quadrillion Btu |
| Natural gas production | 40.70 quadrillion Btu (38% of production) |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Monthly Energy Review and U.S. Energy Facts, 2025 data.
Petroleum has led U.S. consumption since 1950, and transportation is the reason: petroleum supplies about 89% of that sector’s energy. Natural gas moved from 18% of consumption in 1950 to about 36% in 2025, and it grew 4.0% in 2025 alone. Coal fell from a peak above 22 quadrillion Btu in 2005 to under 9 quadrillion Btu. The coal figure here is a computed remainder, so treat it as approximate.
The production line shows why the U.S. is an energy exporter. Natural gas makes up 38% of everything the country produces, more than any other fuel, and total production of 107.16 quadrillion Btu exceeds consumption by about 10.7. Refineries convert much of the crude oil into products that go abroad. For capacity, closures, and product output, see Oil Refinery Statistics in US.
Fossil Fuel Statistics in the US 2026 – Electricity Generation Mix
Power generation is where fossil fuels are changing fastest. Natural gas supplies the largest share of U.S. electricity, coal is shrinking, and solar is climbing.
Share of US Electricity Generation (EIA forecast)
2025 2026 2027
Natural gas 40% 40% 39%
Nuclear 18% 18% 18%
Coal 17% 16% 15%
Wind 11% 11% 12%
Solar 7% 8% 9%
Hydro 6% 6% 6%
| Generation Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Natural gas share, 2025 / 2026 / 2027 | 40% / 40% / 39% |
| Coal share, 2025 / 2026 / 2027 | 17% / 16% / 15% |
| Solar share, 2025 / 2026 / 2027 | 7% / 8% / 9% |
| Natural gas generation, first half 2026 | Up 2% year over year |
| Electricity consumption, third quarter 2026 | Up 4% year over year |
| Residential / commercial consumption growth, Q3 2026 | 6% / 5% |
| Wholesale electricity price, 2026 (forecast) | $52 per MWh, up 11% |
| PJM wholesale price change, 2026 | Up 41% |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, September and October 2026.
Gas and coal together generate 56% of U.S. electricity in 2026 on the EIA forecast, down from 57% in 2025. The split matters more than the total. Gas holds steady at 40% while coal gives up a point a year, and solar takes the difference. Gas generation grew 2% in the first half of 2026 because low prices made it cheaper than coal for most utilities. The EIA expects gas to slip to 39% in 2027 as solar reaches 9%.
Demand is the new variable. A hot summer pushed third-quarter electricity use up 4%, with residential up 6% and commercial, which includes data centers, up 5%. Wholesale prices rose 11% nationally and 41% in the PJM region, the largest increase. More demand keeps older gas and coal plants running than planners expected. To see how plant capacity and retirements fit together, see Power Plants Statistics in US.
Fossil Fuel Statistics in the US 2026 – Prices, Exports and LNG
Prices swung hard in 2026. Crude and fuel prices climbed through the summer, and the EIA expects them to ease only once Middle East flows normalize.
Brent Crude Oil, Annual Average ($ per barrel)
2025 ██████████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░ $69
2026 ██████████████████████████████ $96 (forecast)
2027 ██████████████████████░░░░░░░░ $84 (forecast)
Sept 2026 monthly average: $114 Peak day (Sept 15): $131
| Price and Export Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Brent crude, 2025 / 2026 / 2027 | $69 / $96 / $84 per barrel |
| Brent crude, September 2026 average | $114 per barrel |
| Brent crude, daily peak (September 15, 2026) | $131 per barrel |
| Retail gasoline, 2025 / 2026 / 2027 | $3.10 / $3.91 / $3.56 per gallon |
| Retail gasoline / diesel, September 2026 | $4.35 / $6.29 per gallon |
| LNG gross exports, 2025 / 2026 / 2027 | 15 / 18 / 19 billion cubic feet per day |
| Strategic Petroleum Reserve exchange announced Sept 29, 2026 | 40 million barrels |
| East Coast distillate inventories, September 2026 | 32% below the five-year average |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2026.
Diesel is the pressure point. At $6.29 per gallon in September, diesel cost $1.94 more than gasoline, and East Coast stocks sat 32% below normal. The EIA expects distillate inventories to stay about 20% below average through the winter, which is why heating oil customers face the largest bill increases. Households heating with natural gas or propane should spend less than last winter.
LNG is the export bright spot. Gross LNG exports climb from 15 to 18 billion cubic feet per day in 2026 and to 19 in 2027, which absorbs the extra gas that new Permian and Haynesville wells deliver. That demand is also why developers keep proposing new export projects, including an Arctic pipeline plan covered in Alaska LNG Project Statistics.
Fossil Fuel Statistics in the US 2026 – Emissions and Outlook
Fossil fuel burning drives nearly all U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide. The EIA expects a decline in 2026 and a flat 2027.
US Energy-Related CO2 (billion metric tons)
2025 ████████████████████████████████ 4.9
2026 ███████████████████████████████░ 4.8 (-1.5%)
2027 ███████████████████████████████░ 4.8 (flat)
| Outlook Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Energy-related CO2, 2025 | 4.9 billion metric tons |
| Energy-related CO2, 2026 (forecast) | 4.8 billion metric tons (-1.5%) |
| Energy-related CO2, 2027 (forecast) | 4.8 billion metric tons |
| Main driver of the 2026 decline | Lower coal use; lower gasoline and distillate use |
| US GDP growth, 2026 / 2027 | 2.1% / 2.6% |
| Winter heating degree days, 2026–27 (forecast) | 3,150, 3% fewer than the 10-year average |
| Share of homes using natural gas or propane for heat | Around half of US households |
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Short-Term Energy Outlook, October 2026.
The 1.5% drop in 2026 emissions comes mostly from coal. Burning less coal removes more carbon per Btu than any other change in the mix, and lower gasoline and distillate use adds a smaller cut. In 2027, lower coal emissions are offset by rising gas use in commercial and industrial buildings, which is why the total stays flat at 4.8 billion metric tons despite the 2.6% forecast growth in the economy.
The forecast rests on assumptions that can change. The EIA assumes Middle East oil flows stay constrained through the fourth quarter and that most regional production returns to pre-conflict levels by the end of the second quarter of 2027. It also assumes a winter slightly milder than normal. A prolonged cold spell would push gas withdrawals above plan, and a new supply disruption would raise oil prices again.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percent of US energy comes from fossil fuels?
Fossil fuels supplied 82% of U.S. energy consumption in 2025, or about 79.2 quadrillion Btu of a 96 quadrillion Btu total, according to the EIA.
How much oil does the US produce in 2026?
The EIA forecasts U.S. crude oil production of 13.9 million barrels per day in 2026, up from the record 13.7 million in 2025. The agency forecasts 14.3 million for 2027.
How much natural gas does the US produce?
The EIA forecasts dry natural gas production of 111.7 billion cubic feet per day in 2026 and marketed production of 123.9 billion cubic feet per day. Daily output set a record on September 17, 2026.
How much coal does the US produce?
U.S. coal production was 528 million short tons in 2025. The EIA forecasts 516 million in 2026 and 497 million in 2027.
What is the biggest source of US electricity in 2026?
Natural gas, at about 40% of generation. Nuclear provides 18%, coal 16%, wind 11%, solar 8%, and hydropower 6%, according to the EIA’s October 2026 forecast.
Why are gas prices high in 2026?
Crude oil prices rose after Middle East supply disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Brent averaged $114 per barrel in September 2026, and U.S. retail gasoline averaged $4.35 per gallon that month.
Is the US a net exporter of energy?
Yes. The U.S. produced 107.16 quadrillion Btu of energy in 2025 and consumed 96.47, a gap of about 10.7 quadrillion Btu. LNG exports reach 18 billion cubic feet per day in 2026.
How much natural gas is in storage?
The EIA estimates 3,523 Bcf was in storage at the end of September 2026 and forecasts 3,850 Bcf by the end of October, 2% above the five-year average.
Are US carbon emissions falling?
The EIA forecasts energy-related CO2 emissions of 4.8 billion metric tons in 2026, down 1.5% from 2025, and flat in 2027. Lower coal use drives the decline.
Which fossil fuel is declining fastest in the US?
Coal. Its electricity share falls from 17% in 2025 to 15% in 2027, and production drops from 528 to 497 million short tons over the same period.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.