-Can Fracking Keep U.S. No.1 Oil Producer? -
It doesnt matter
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It does matter for at least the next decade —or until something else better comes along. The biggest most important thing is that fracking shifts capital flows around the world. Fracking steadily shrinks the size of the trade deficit. Fracking will steadily lower the cost of oil. Fracking will undergird the US economy —producing 2% economic growth alone— so that despite the tremendous screw ups of the Obama administration — the USA will stay afloat. Fracking contributes about 100 billion to federal coffers annually — shrinking the size of the federal deficit.
The authors believe based on their interviews with the big companies involved that the fracking revolution is only getting started.
You confuse producing lots of oil and being number 1
it is possible to be oil independent and not be the #1 producer.
Without cheap(er) energy, manufacturing will never return to this country en-masse.
If we look at declining energy costs combined with rising labor costs in Asia-Pacific, the conditions are shaping up nicely for a manufacturing renaissance in America.
Just my humble opinion based on what I'm reading. I could be wrong.