Traditionally, Arkansas has not been a major producer of crude oil but, the state regularly features within the top twenty in oil production in the nation. A crude oil price spike dramatically increased production in 2001, but since then production has been steadily declining.

Since 2002, natural gas production has increased as a result of increases in the price of gasoline. The same time period registered a slump in the number of gas producing wells as gas production was carried out more efficiently.

Coal production increased in 2006; however, production had been in decline the years before. Meanwhile, Arkansas's electric power companies have continued to use increasing amounts of coal since the 80s. The use of biomass energy sources has been on an upward incline for a few years.