US reconfigures downstream industry to handle rising domestic production

摘要

The US refining and transport system is being radically transformed to handle the growing production of crude oil, which largely has been driven by the explosive growth of nonconventional production, including shale oil. The US has seen its output of crude oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) rise by about 1 mn bpd since 2011 with a further net gain forecast by 2020 when, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), output will reach 11.1 mn bpd: a rise of 3 mn bpd, or 37%, compared with 2011 (see "Focus", December 2012).