Celebrating 80 Years of the National Petroleum Council

For 80 years, the National Petroleum Council (NPC) has served as a vital bridge between government and industry, bringing together leaders from across the energy sector to provide informed advice to the Secretary of Energy on matters related to oil, natural gas, and the industries that produce them.

Today, the United States stands as the world’s largest producer of oil and natural gas and the leading exporter of liquefied natural gas. This transformation reflects decades of technological innovation, private sector investment, and policies advanced during both Trump Administration terms to strengthen American energy dominance. Breakthroughs that fueled the American Shale Revolution unlocked vast domestic oil and natural gas resources, fundamentally reshaping global energy markets and positioning the United States as the world’s leading energy supplier.

Given the unprecedented demand for energy—driven by expanding economies, advanced manufacturing, and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence—the United States must ensure it can maintain its position as the world’s leading energy supplier. For decades, the NPC has helped inform the strategies and policies that support this leadership. 

First established by the Secretary of the Interior in 1946 at the request of President Harry S. Truman, and later transferred to the U.S. Department of Energy in 1977, the NPC has produced more than 200 studies examining key issues affecting domestic and global oil and natural gas markets. Alongside its convenings of industry leaders, this work provides critical insight into the opportunities and challenges shaping America’s energy future.

Last year, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright called on the NPC to launch a comprehensive Future Energy Systems study to provide recommendations on ensuring the availability of affordable, reliable, and secure energy for American consumers and allies. The results of the report will be delivered in early 2027 to the Department. In addition to the Future Energy Systems study, the NPC released  two short-term studies in December 2025 that examines key challenges in the U.S. energy sector, including the misalignment between electric power and natural gas markets, as well as opportunities to streamline permitting for oil and natural gas infrastructure.

Through these efforts alongside regular meetings with the Secretary of Energy, the NPC supports President Trump’s directives to strengthen U.S. energy leadership, including executive orders declaring a national energy emergency, unleashing American energy, and establishing the National Energy Dominance Council.

As the NPC marks 80 years of service, its continued collaboration with government and industry remains vital to ensuring the United States has the energy needed to power American prosperity, freedom, and human flourishing

The NPC is supported by DOE’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, which works to unleash the full potential of America’s energy resources—including coal, oil, natural gas, and geothermal—to provide affordable, reliable, and secure energy. To learn more about the mission and history of the NPC, visit DOE’s National Petroleum Council webpage.