America barely uses OPEC oil. Why are gas prices so high?

U.S. crude oil imports from OPEC members have fallen to historically low levels, representing less than 10% of total American oil supply in recent years. Yet retail gasoline prices remain sensitive to global crude benchmarks, particularly WTI and Brent. This apparent disconnect confuses many consumers, but reflects how integrated global energy markets have become—even when the U.S. produces most of its own oil.

Gasoline prices track crude oil costs because refineries source barrels from the global market at global prices. A U.S. refinery running Saudi or Nigerian crude still values that barrel at the Brent or WTI benchmark, not a domestic discount. When OPEC+ cuts production or geopolitical tensions spike—such as disruptions in the Middle East or supply constraints elsewhere—those price signals ripple through American pumps within weeks. Domestic production cannot insulate the country from global supply shocks.

The U.S. refining sector compounds this effect by exporting refined products and balancing imports based on margins rather than crude source. Refineries optimize for profit, which means they respond to global crude prices, not just the origin of their feedstock. A tight global market raises costs for every barrel a refinery processes, regardless of whether it came from Texas, the North Sea, or the Gulf of Mexico.

In short, low reliance on OPEC crude does not shield American consumers from global price movements. The U.S. remains plugged into worldwide energy markets through pricing mechanisms, refinery economics, and traded derivatives. Until global supply and demand conditions ease, domestic production alone cannot decouple pump prices from international crude benchmarks.