[briansm]

Has overtaken Saudi Arabia as nation with largest proven oil reserves.

Although it is 'heavy' oil, the 'brown coal' of liquid fossil reserves (i.e. low quality).

The fact that such a fuss is being made about low-grade oil is a concern in itself.

[stevenwoo]

Most of the USA's refineries specialize in low grade oil. The best grade oil is often shipped out of the USA for refining. Shipping costs are so low on a grand scale that it's more profitable to ship the USA's high quality oil overseas than building new refineries in the USA just for that: https://www.marketplace.org/story/2024/05/13/the-u-s-exports...

[badosu]

> The fact that such a fuss is being made about low-grade oil is a concern in itself.

Keep in mind there's a lot of 'idle' refining capacity at the southeastern coast of the US which was built for heavy oil.