Oil Independance Day

     America's foreign policies have always revolved around the thought that we were dependant on other countries for our oil, it turns out this is unnecessary. The United States of America has more oil and natural gas than all the middle east combined. The United States has double the amount of oil and three times the amount of natural gas than previously thought, stored deep under the states of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana and Texas.

     Foreign-oil imports are less than 40 percent of oil consumed in America, That’s the lowest level since 1988. Currently, the US is producing roughly half of all oil we use. If total energy is looked at, the U.S. is over 70% self-sufficient. This is good, but not good enough in my opinion. The U.S still spends huge sums on oil. Many Americans might be surprised to learn that the U.S. now imports roughly the same amount of oil from Africa as it does from the Persian Gulf and actually gets most of its imported oil from Canada and Latin America.

     The many benefits of a secure supply of energy sources benefit the country’s economics and security. Looking at the total U.S. energy picture, which includes natural gas, coal, nuclear, crude oil and renewable, the country is close to being self-sufficient. Crude oil, the raw material for gasoline and diesel fuel needed for transportation, is the only energy source where the U.S. requires large quantities of imports. This has a large impact on the country’s trade balances and economics. It won't happen overnight, but with time we can go from the importer to the exporter. The oil and natural gas industry can create more American jobs that can help grow the U.S. economy. If we have it why wouldn't we use it? Right now the this area accounts for more than 1.7 million jobs and will grow to nearly 3 million by the end of the decade.-BDB

Sources- (Google Images)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_energy_independence

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-12/u-s-nears-energy-independence-by-2035-on-shale-boom-iea-says.html

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-12/u-s-nears-energy-independence-by-2035-on-shale-boom-iea-says.html