In many ways, natural gas will become more important than crude oil because unlike crude oil, natural gas is far easier to refine and highly desirable because it burns vastly cleaner than coal. Why do you think China signed that US$400 billion deal with Russia to import natural gas? Expect natural-gas fired power plants all over the world in the immediate future until improved solar technology and a new class of very safe nuclear reactors come online over the next 25 years.
The late 20th century was filled with the mad rush for energy independence and control.
The early 21st century will be filled with energy abundance and independence worldwide.
None of this would have happened without the oil & gas industry continuously investing in itself, its exploration capabilities and its extraction capabilities.
Remember, if liberals had their way, the industry would have been nationalized and still rooted in 1950s technology.
None of this abundance of energy would have been found under government control.
Only the free market delivers this.
Unlike crude oil, natural gas is not refined. Contaminants are removed, higher value Natural Gas liquids are removed, but it is not refined.