America’s Energy Boom Provides Strategic Shield Amid Middle East Turmoil

By: David Blackmon | Commentary, Forbes

As the missiles and drones continue to fly over the Strait of Hormuz amid the ongoing conflict centered in Iran, global oil markets are in turmoil. Crude prices surged past $90 per barrel on March 6, and United States pump prices have jumped about 20 cents a gallon in the past week. But even with that, the United States is weathering this storm better than other global powers thanks to an unrivaled level of national energy security.

The Shale Boom and Energy Dominance: Building Blocks Of Energy Security

The shale boom, boosted by the energy dominance agendas of both Donald Trump presidencies, has transformed the U.S. into an energy powerhouse, slashing reliance on Persian Gulf oil to near rock-bottom levels. This is good news for drivers, and a boost for national security, affording the White House unprecedented leverage while exposing cracks in the strategies of Russia, China, and Europe.

A close look at the numbers that tells the story. U.S. imports from Persian Gulf nations – Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the UAE, Bahrain, and Qatar – currently average about 500,000 barrels per day, near-historic lows in modern times rivaled only by disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a huge drop from the 3 million barrels daily peak in 2003 prior to the advent of America’s Shale Revolution, and even from 2 million just nine years ago.

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