AMERICA’S ENERGY FORUM Bringing experts and verifiable facts to the energy discussion

U.S. oil and natural gas production is higher today than it has been for many years, providing a big boost to the economy at a time of sluggish job and income growth.

A great deal of misinformation is flowing freely around the process of hydraulic fracturing, and in particular the fracturing fluids which are used to support the process. Let's look at the facts to shut off this fluid flow of myths.

Natural gas prices in the United States have been low in the past few years, and increased estimates in natural gas reserves from shale formations in Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana are opening opportunities to increase exports to other nations. In some countries, natural gas prices are three times as high as they are in the United States.

Horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and shale gas have received a ton of press lately. But what impacts do these unconventional techniques have on energy markets?

In 2010, we spent $72 billion more for imported oil than we did in 2009, but we have two questions we need to ask ourselves.