Nicknamed the “Sooner State”–a historical reference to non-Native settlers who staked land claims before the official opening or appropriation dates–Oklahoma shipped US$6.8 billion worth of products around the globe in 2022.

That dollar amount results from a 10.5% increase from $6.15 billion four years earlier in 2019.

Year over year, the overall value of Oklahoman exports advanced by 9.1% compared to $6.23 billion during 2021.

Located in America’s South Central region, Oklahoma ranks among America’s 40 most lucrative exporters by state well behind front-runners including Texas, California, Louisiana, New York State and Illinois. The value of Oklahoma’s exports equals 0.3% of the United States’ overall exported product sales for 2022, down from 0.4% for 2021.

Based on research from Statista, Oklahoma’s exported products represent 3.6% of the state’s total economic output or real Gross Domestic Product in 2022 ($191.3 billion).

Given Oklahoma’s population of 4.02 million people, its total $6.8 billion in 2022 exports translates to roughly $1,700 for every resident in the Sooner State. That dollar metric outpaces the average $1,560 per capita one year earlier in 2021.

Oklahoma’s unemployment rate was 3% at the end of March 2023, down from 4.2% one year earlier per YCharts.

Oklahoma’s Top 10 Exports

The following export products represent the highest dollar value in Oklahoma global shipments during 2022. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Oklahoma.

Figures are shown at the more granular six-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level, for more precise product identification.

1. Civilian aircraft including engines, parts: US$527.2 million (7.8% of Oklahoma’s total exports)
2. Organic precious metal compounds, amalgams: $349.9 million (5.1%)
3. Cotton (uncarded, uncombed): $274.3 million (4%)
4. Parts for turbo-jets and turbo-propellers: $211.6 million (3.1%)
5. Air conditioning machines: $155.7 million (2.3%)
6. Pork meat (frozen): $116.4 million (1.7%)
7. Pipe taps, similar parts: $104.8 million (1.5%)
8. Solid-state semi-conductor storage devices: $101 million (1.5%)
9. Urea: $99.3 million (1.5%)
10. Motor vehicles (piston engine) to carry 10 or more people: $99.2 million (1.5%)

Oklahoma’s top 10 exports approached one-third (30%) of the overall value of the state’s global shipments.

Urea represents the fastest grower among Oklahoma’s top 10 export categories, up by 593.5% from 2021 to 2022.

In second place for Oklahoma’s improving export sales was uncarded and uncombed cotton via a 91.4% annual gain.

Other leading growth products were organic precious metal compounds and amalgams (up 53.8%), frozen pork (up 37.6%), solid-state semi-conductor storage devices (up 32.2%), then pipe parts including taps (up 20.8%).

The lone decliner among Oklahoma’s top 10 export products were parts for turbo-jets and turbo-propellers, dragged down by a -16% retreat compared to 2021.

More Key Facts about Oklahoma’s International Trade

Oklahoma incurred an overall -$12 billion deficit exporting and importing products during 2022. That dollar amount reflects a 20.2% year-over-year expansion from -$10 billion in red ink for 2021.

Another way of saying surplus or deficit is positive or negative net exports. In a nutshell, the term “net exports” quantifies the amount by which foreign spending on a state’s goods or services exceeds or lags that same state’s spending on foreign goods or services.

Below are Oklahoma’s top 10 import products highlighting the state’s highest spending on foreign-made goods in 2022.

1. Crude petroleum oils: US$7.9 billion (41.9% of Oklahoma’s total imports)
2. Turbo-jets: $379.3 million (2%)
3. Liquid pump parts: $378.2 million (2%)
4. Decorative items for Christmas festivities: $303.5 million (1.6%)
5. Small portable digital computers: $223.7 million (1.2%)
6. Parts of electric motors or generators: $196.4 million (1%)
7. Solid-state semiconductor storage devices: $174.6 million (0.9%)
8. Miscellaneous precious metal items: $149.5 million (0.8%)
9. Artificial flowers, fruit (excluding plastic): $146 million (0.8%)
10. Centrifugal pumps: $144.7 million (0.8%)

The State of Oklahoma incurs the largest negative net exports in the international trade of crude petroleum oils. In turn, these cashflows indicate Oklahoma’s competitive disadvantage–and dependency–under that product category.

Oklahoma’s Major Trading Partners

The following list shows the top 10 customers that purchased over three-quarters (76.4%) worth of the total value of products exported from Oklahoma during 2022.

1. Canada: US$2 billion (28.8% of Oklahoma’s total exports)
2. Mexico: $795.4 million (11.7%)
3. Germany: $577 million (8.5%)
4. mainland China: $411.5 million (6.1%)
5. Netherlands: $302.3 million (4.4%)
6. Singapore: $274 million (4%)
7. Japan: $265.6 million (3.9%)
8. South Africa: $257.7 million (3.8%)
9. South Korea: $178.2 million (2.6%)
10. Australia: $172.7 million (2.5%)

Oklahoma’s top trade partners in North America (Canada and Mexico) bought 40.5% of the overall value of goods exported from the Sooner State.

In comparison, 16.6% was sold to those export customers among Oklahoma’s top 10 located in Asia (mainland China, Singapore, Japan and South Korea).

Another 12.9% went to leading importers in Europe (Germany and Netherlands).

Oklahoman Export Companies

Twelve of Oklahoma-based corporations rank among Fortune 1000 Companies, a list that showcases America’s largest businesses. Selected examples are listed below.

• Chesapeake Energy Corp (petroleum, natural gas)
• Continental Resources, Inc. (petroleum, natural gas)
• Devon Energy Corp (petroleum, natural gas)
• Helmerich & Payne, Inc. (oil field products, services)
• NGL Energy Partners LP (crude oil logistics, water solutions, propane)
• ONEOK, Inc. (natural gas)
• Williams Companies, Inc. (petroleum, natural gas)
• WPX Energy (petroleum, natural gas)

Shown within brackets for each company is a summary of the international trade-related products or services which each business sells.
 

Oklahoma’s capital is Oklahoma City, nicknamed “OKC”, “The Big Friendly” and “The 405”.

See also Top 10 Exports from Arkansas, Alaska’s Top 10 Exports, Oregon’s Top 10 Exports, Louisiana’s Top 10 Exports and Washington State’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Department of Numbers, Oklahoma GDP (dollars shown in real terms). Accessed on May 3, 2023

FlagPictures.org, Flags of US States. Accessed on May 3, 2023

Forbes, Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on May 3, 2023

GeoLounge, Fortune 1000 Companies List for 2019 , Fortune 1000 by State and Place. Accessed on May 3, 2023

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 3, 2023

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 3, 2023

Statista, Real gross domestic product of Oklahoma. Accessed on May 3, 2023

State Symbols USA, State Nicknames. Accessed on May 3, 2023

United States Census Bureau, QuickFacts: Oklahoma. Accessed on May 3, 2023

USA Trade Online, Official Source of Trade Statistics. Accessed on May 3, 2023

Wikipedia, Category:Companies based in Oklahoma. Accessed on May 3, 2023

Wikipedia, List of U.S. states and territories by GDP. Accessed on May 3, 2023

Wikipedia, Oklahoma. Accessed on May 3, 2023

World’s Capital Cities, Capital Facts for Oklahoma City, United States. Accessed on May 3, 2023

YCharts, Regional and State Employment and Unemployment Report. Accessed on May 3, 2023