In a post on his social network Truth Social, Donald Trump claimed that “empty tankers from many countries are all heading to the United States to REFUEL with oil.”
In an interview with Fox News yesterday, April 12, he added: “China can send its ships to us. China can send its ships to Venezuela.”
If the American president tries to present the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, announced yesterday, April 12, as beneficial for the American oil industry, in reality, at best, the United States can be a shock absorber for the oil shock, but not a viable substitute for the reduction of oil supply transiting through the strait.
Indeed, about 20 million barrels per day of crude oil, condensates, and oil products transit through the Strait of Hormuz, roughly a fifth of the world’s oil products consumption.
American crude production reached a record level in 2025, at 13.6 million barrels per day, but this figure corresponds to the country’s total production and not its export capacity.
American crude oil exports averaged 4.0 million barrels per day in 2025 – a decrease from 2024.
Petroleum product exports, such as gasoline, kerosene, and diesel, are generally increasing and reached 7.9 million barrels per day in the last week of March, according to the EIA.
While American production could increase, it is not an automatic or immediate increase. According to the EIA, the United States saw an increase of about 350,000 barrels per day in 2025 compared to 2024.
A more substantial increase would be particularly difficult to achieve due to a lack of infrastructure, as well as a barrel price too low for profitable activity.
According to data compiled by Baker Hughes, the US had only 549 active drilling rigs at the beginning of December 2025 – three times lower than the roughly 2,000 rigs in operation in 2012 during Barack Obama’s first term.
Regarding Venezuelan crude, controlled by the United States since Maduro’s capture in January, the country has the world’s largest oil reserves – potentially overvalued – estimated at over 300 billion barrels, more than Saudi Arabia’s 297 billion. However, it represents less than 1% of global exports today.
In 2025, Venezuela exported on average over 600,000 barrels per day of crude oil, mainly heavy. In March 2026, the country experienced an increase in its monthly exports, exceeding one million barrels per day.
If American control favors greater involvement of American companies and thus an increase in production, it is unlikely to recover quickly.
For example, fourteen years after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya’s oil production is still down by 30%.
[Context: The content discusses Donald Trump’s claims about tankers heading to the US for oil. It also delves into the implications of oil production and exports from various countries in relation to American control and the global oil market.]
[Fact Check: The information provided is based on statements made by Donald Trump and data from sources like the Energy Information Administration (EIA) and Baker Hughes.]
