Illinois crude oil production totaled 7,227,842 barrels in 2022, according to data compiled by the Illinois Petroleum Resources Board (IPRB) that is based on first-purchaser reports. Click here to download IPRB’s annual Illinois oil production report.

The state’s 2022 production was 2.3 percent below 2021 production levels (7,397,119 barrels), as continued labor shortages and weather-related challenges trumped high oil prices and increased drilling activity, holding production down below 2021 levels.

Several counties did see significant increases in production compared to 2021 levels, however, led by Hamilton County’s 51,077-barrel increase in production to 234,104 barrels of production in 2022.

Franklin County saw a second straight year of sharply increased production, as its production jumped 15 percent compared to 2021 levels to a total of 357,798 barrels last year. Franklin County enjoyed a 19 percent production increase from 2020 levels in 2021 and has increased production 38 percent from 2020 levels over the past two years.

Wabash County increased production 12 percent in 2022 compared to 2021 levels with a total of 398,555 barrels. Christian, Richland, Dewitt, Sangamon, Clay, Crawford and Clinton counties all saw their production increase by at least 1,000 barrels in 2022 compared to 2021 levels.

White County once again led the state in production by a wide margin, topping two million barrels of production for the fourth straight year (2,038,796 barrels). However, that total was more than 127,303 barrels below 2021 production levels.

The state’s top-15 producing counties – White, Marion, Crawford, Fayette, Lawrence, Wabash, Franklin, Clay, Wayne, Clark, Richland, Hamilton, Jasper, Jefferson and Gallatin – collectively produced 90.2 percent of the state’s oil in 2022. All 15 of those counties – as well as Edwards, Brown and Effingham counties – have passed Resolutions of Support for the Illinois oil production industry.