Shale plays help US dethrone Saudi Arabia to become No.1 oil producer.

摘要

According to the IEA's World Energy Oudook, the US will exceed Saudi Arabian oil production by 2020 in large part due to the shale boom, and the hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling technologies utilized therein. The report further suggests that US imports, which currently fulfill 20% of domestic need, will fall approaching 2020, from 10MM b/d to 4MM b/d within a decade. Import decline will be attributable to increased production, but also to more stringent energy efficiency standards. US oil production peaked at approximately 10MM b/d in the late 1960s and trended downwards until 2010, when shale played a significant role in rebounding production figures. Since seeing that new production growth in 2010, the US oil trade deficit climbed from around $225B to approximately $330B in early 2012, and has since eased throughout the year. The IEA predicts that North America as a whole will take on a new role of net exporter by 2030.