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Despite military and political turmoil in Libya, Iraq, and other major oil-producing countries, the US is producing enough oil to keep up with demand and keep prices down. The unrest in countries that are normally big producers of crude oil has caused a worldwide decrease in production of about 3 million barrels per day, but the US has made up for it and then some by producing about 4 million barrels every day, largely with the help of state- and privately-owned shale formations in North Dakota and Texas. Without this production, crude oil could cost up to $150 per barrel.

This is a significant step toward energy independence for the United States. There is much speculation as to whether the oil booms in North Dakota and Texas will continue or die out as quickly as they came, but what is clear is that the US will never have energy independence within the current administration that has steadily decreased production and exploration of oil and natural gas on federal lands (Between 2009 and 2013, production of natural gas on federal lands was reduced by 28 percent, and oil production was reduced by 6 percent) while drastically increasing the amount of time it takes to process applications for permits to drill.