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As other commenters have pointed out, the US only overtakes SA for a few years before falling behind again: "By around 2020, the United States is projected to
by edj 14y ago
As other commenters have pointed out, the US only overtakes SA for a few years before falling behind again:
"By around 2020, the United States is projected to become the largest global oil producer (overtaking Saudi Arabia until the mid-2020s)"
So maybe that part of the story is overblown. But perhaps more interesting is that the US will supposedly become a net exporter shortly thereafter:
"The result is a continued fall in US oil imports, to the extent that North America becomes a net oil exporter around 2030."
Source: IEA World Energy Outlook 2012 - Executive Summary
http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/English.pdf http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication... [PDF]
- ojbyrne 14y agoUS != North America.
- edj 14y agoGood point. I didn't see that. When you throw in Canada's tar sands, it's a lot less surprising that North America could be a net exporter in <20 years.
- ojbyrne 14y agoI believe Mexico figures in those calculations also. According to this field they have large reserves, though extraction is expensive (like oil shale and tar sands).