U.S. Dependence on Foreign Oil Lowest Since 1996

From Daniel Yergin's WSJ article "There Will Be Oil":

"In 2003, the Bakken formation in North Dakota was producing a mere 10,000 barrels a day. Today, it is over 400,000 barrels, and North Dakota has become the fourth-largest oil-producing state in the country. Such "tight" oil could add as much as two million barrels a day to U.S. oil production after 2020—something that would not have been in any forecast five years ago. 

Overall U.S. oil production has increased more than 10% since 2008. Net oil imports reached a high point of 60% in 2005, but today, thanks to increased production and greater energy efficiency (plus the use of ethanol), imports are down to 47%."

MP: The chart above displays oil imports as a share of U.S. demand annually back to 1973 (data here), showing that dependence on foreign oil at 47% this year (average through July) is the lowest in 15 years, since the 46.4% share in 1996.