John McCain has said Sarah Palin “knows more about energy than probably anyone in the United States of America.” Palin has touted it as a major strength she brings.

While discussing energy in her interview with ABC News’ Charles Gibson, Palin said:

Let me speak specifically about a credential that I do bring to this table, Charlie, and that’s with the energy independence that I’ve been working on for these years as the governor of this state that produces nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of energy.

Alaska’s share of domestic energy production is 3.5 percent, according to the official figures kept by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

FactCheck.org reported that the federal government’s Energy Information Association shows that of the 1.8 billion barrels of oil produced in the United States in 2007, Alaska produced 264 million barrels, or 14.3 percent of all oil in the U.S.

Alaska did produce 14 percent of all the oil from U.S. wells last year, but that’s a far cry from all the “energy” produced in the U.S.

Alaska’s share of domestic energy production was 3.5 percent, according to the official figures kept by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

And if by “supply” Palin meant all the energy consumed in the U.S., and not just produced here, then Alaska’s production accounted for only 2.4 percent.

The Washington Post:

While Alaska is a leading producer of crude oil, it produces relatively little natural gas, hardly any coal, and no nuclear power. Its share of oil production has been declining sharply, and now ranks lower than Texas and Louisiana. As the following table shows, Alaska is the ninth largest energy supplier in the United States, accounting for a modest 3.5 percent share of the nation’s total energy production.

Alaska is behind Kentucky, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and five other states.

Fox News reported a couple of days later Sept. 15, 2008 at an event in Golden, Colorado, she again made a false claim saying, “My job has been to oversee nearly 20 percent of the U.S. domestic supply of oil and gas.”

The Washington Post:

According to authoritative EIA data, Alaska accounted for just 7.4 percent of total U.S. oil and gas production in 2005.

It is not even correct for Palin to claim that her state is responsible for “nearly 20 percent” of U.S. oil production. Oil production has fallen sharply in Alaska during her governorship. The state’s share of total U.S. oil production fell from 18 percent in 2005 to 13 percent this year, according to the EIA.

The McCain-Palin campaign did not respond to a request for an explanation.