America's Energy Edge.

The authors offer opinions on energy economics and its impact on geopolitics. It is argued that a dramatic increase in U.S. petroleum and natural gas production made possible by the techniques of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing to extract shale gas and oil has created a fundamental shift in which lower prices for petroleum and natural gas will damage the economies of countries dependent on production of energy such as Russia and Saudi Arabia nd will benefit those which are energy consumers such as China and India. It is stated that the greatest beneficiary of this change will be the U.S. by both improving the country's economy and allowing it more freedom of action in international relations.