The United States is the most energy-rich nation on the planet. We pump more crude oil than any country in the history of the industry, 13.6 million barrels per day last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, an all-time record. We sit on the Permian Basin, the Eagle Ford, the Bakken, the Marcellus. We export liquefied natural gas to countries that would freeze without us. On March 30, 2026, you were paying $5.401 per gallon for diesel, which was the national average per the EIA’s weekly retail price report. The highest national average since late 2022. A carrier running 125,000 miles a year at 6.5 miles per gallon just watched its annual fuel bill climb by more than $25,000 per truck, per year, in roughly one month. The reason is a 21-mile chokepoint on the other side of the world. Understanding why our record oil production does not insulate us from it is the first thing you need to know before any conversation about cutting your fuel spend. The cart and the horse The Strait of Hormuz closure is not a crude oil problem for the United States. It is a refining problem. When Iran stopped tanker traffic through the strait in early March 2026, it severed the route that normally carries about 20 million barrels of oil per day, roughly 20 percent of the world’s daily supply. The countries bleeding worst are Japan, South Korea, India and China, which import most of their crude through that passage.…
