OPINION:
In a world increasingly defined by energy affordability, geopolitical instability and economic uncertainty, the United States is once again talking about energy dominance.
President Trump has made it a central pillar of his agenda, vowing to “unleash American energy” to lower prices, strengthen the economy and restore U.S. global leadership. National Energy Dominance Council Chair Doug Burgum echoed that vision recently, arguing that U.S. energy dominance is the “foundation of American prosperity.”
If America wants true energy dominance, not just independence, it must consider its allies. No ally is more energy-rich, reliable or integrated with the American economy than Alberta.
Just across the 49th parallel, north of Montana, is the province of Alberta, home to the fourth-largest oil reserves and the ninth-largest gas reserves on the planet. We are not a new player or a speculative market. We are a proven partner with decades of investment in North American energy infrastructure, and the more than 70 pipelines spanning 280,000 miles that connect our two countries are proof of that.
Alberta is responsible for more than half of U.S. crude oil imports, more than double that of Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Iraq combined. Every day, 4.4 million barrels of oil flow from Canada to the U.S., supporting more than 900,000 American jobs and providing the feedstock that powers U.S. refineries from the Midwest to the Gulf Coast. Combined, the U.S. and Alberta account for more than 60% of the world’s growth in oil production over the past 15 years.
In fact, U.S. refineries run on Alberta’s heavy oil because there is no U.S. source. More than 50 high-tech American refineries use Alberta’s heavy crude. As Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute, noted: “U.S. refineries — primarily in the Midwest — rely on Canadian heavy crude to produce the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel that’s critical for transportation, agriculture and American consumers.”
Every year, $100 billion of Alberta’s oil enters the U.S., where it becomes $350 billion in refined products that drive American life, underpin domestic manufacturing and provide American exports worldwide. That value was also underscored by Chet Thompson, president and CEO of the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers: “American refiners depend on crude oil from Canada and Mexico to produce the affordable, reliable fuels consumers count on every day.”
Our partnership goes beyond barrels and balance sheets. Alberta is also Canada’s largest producer of natural gas, supplying 60% of U.S. natural gas imports. Our gas supplies manufacturing facilities across the Midwest and ensures Americans have a cheap, reliable natural gas supply for domestic consumption, data center expansion, industrialization and global LNG exports.
No other democratic ally offers the same combination of stability, proximity and abundant reserves in oil and gas that Alberta has, and we have no plans of slowing down.
We want to double our oil and gas production, and we have the expertise and ambition to do it. We’re investing in cleaner technologies, pushing within Canada to expand our export capacity, and opening our doors to even deeper U.S. collaboration.
With the U.S. being serious about using energy as a tool of global power, Alberta is not just a partner; it’s a cornerstone. We are not Iran. We are not Venezuela. We are a fellow democracy with shared values, an integrated supply chain and a mutual interest in securing energy for the free world.
Alberta’s role as an energy ally is already deeply embedded in the American economy. We are a top 10 trading partner of 17 states and the largest trading partner of six states, and we export more oil to Illinois alone than we do to all other countries combined.
The choice is simple: The U.S. can chase energy dominance with transactional deals from unstable regimes, or it can build it with a trusted partner that shares its values, strengthens its economy and fuels its future.
Alberta understands the importance of the energy dominance opportunity we have together, and we share common objectives. As partners in global energy security, we can ensure the more than 7 billion people living in energy poverty can raise their standard of living and billions more can end their reliance on energy from hostile dictatorships.
America, let’s think bigger. Let’s continue to leverage our strengths in energy to ensure our vast reserves of oil and natural gas can support growth, prosperity and long-term economic sustainability at home and around the world.
The path to energy dominance doesn’t stop at the U.S. border; it starts with Alberta.
• Danielle Smith has served as the 19th premier of Alberta and leader of the United Conservative Party since October 2022. To learn more about the Alberta-U.S. energy relationship, visit alberta.ca/albertaistheanswer.
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