U.S. crude oil production down last week

HOUSTON, March 29 (Xinhua) -- U.S. crude oil production averaged 12.2 million barrels per day (b/d) during the week ending March 24, down by 100,000 b/d from the previous week, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said Wednesday.

The figure rose by 500,000 b/d from this time last year, according to the EIA.

More than 80 percent of the U.S. crude oil production growth comes from the country's Lower 48 states, which does not include production from Alaska and the Federal Offshore Gulf of Mexico, according to the EIA.

The United States has been a major oil producer in the past years with the help of its shale oil production growth.