The U.S. national gas average is now around $3.50 per gallon after jumping roughly 50 cents in the past week. Meanwhile, the United States produces more oil than any country on Earth — about 13 million barrels per day. More than Saudi Arabia. More than Russia.

So if America produces that much oil... why are gas prices still rising?

Because energy independence doesn't mean what most people think it does.

How the Global Market Actually Works

Oil is a global commodity. There is no such thing as American oil that stays in America. Oil from the U.S., the Middle East, Canada, Africa — it all feeds into the same global market with the same supply, demand, and pricing. When supply is disrupted anywhere in the world, prices move everywhere.

Right now tensions around the Strait of Hormuz — which normally moves about 20% of global oil trade — are adding risk to the market. Traders price in that risk immediately, global oil prices move higher, and gas stations end up paying more for fuel.

Why Don't We Just Use Our Own Oil?

We already do. But the U.S. also exports around 4 million barrels per day. Oil companies sell to whoever pays the most. If a refinery in Europe is paying more than one in the U.S., that oil goes overseas. That's the global market.

At the same time, the U.S. still imports oil — not because we don't produce enough, but because many U.S. refineries are designed to run heavier crude blends, while a lot of American shale production is light sweet crude. Light crude exports easily, while heavier crude often runs better in certain refinery setups. So the U.S. often exports lighter crude and imports heavier crude. It's about refinery design and logistics.

Even if exports stopped tomorrow, prices wouldn't suddenly drop. Refineries cost $10+ billion and years to build, and global crude prices still determine what refiners pay. Energy independence means the U.S. can produce enough oil to meet its needs. It does not mean Americans are insulated from global prices.