Surprising Realities of Oil Imports and Exports

Why does American export oil at the same time it imports huge quantities?

The economics of oil crude exports and imports are strange. U.S. Oil Exports are Skyrocketing, while at the same time we import 7.3 million barrels of oil a day. Why?


Much of the domestic crude is thinner and less convenient for US refineries than foreign imported oil, which is thick, like honey. We import the good stuff and export the undesirable crude.

For the record, the Scientific American article linked above makes clear that North Dakota tar sands oil is not considered to be suitable for American domestic refineries, so is generally exported to be refined elsewhere. Therefore the Dakota Access Pipeline and "water protectors" confrontation near Cannonball, ND, has nothing to do with American energy independence.