February 06, 2014

Energy Rush: Shale Production and U.S. National Security

By: Elizabeth Rosenberg

Senior Fellow Elizabeth Rosenberg calls for policymakers and military leaders to reassess U.S. strategy to “safeguard the physical oil trade, new criteria for the use of strategic reserves, new potential energy export opportunities and new possibilities for energy-focused trade arrangements.” The author states that civilian and military leaders must adapt policies and recast strategic relationships and military commitments to better-fit complex and volatile global energy markets.

On February 6, CNAS held an event featuring remarks on energy and national security by former National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon and the rollout of Energy Rush.

Executive Summary

This report investigates the ongoing shale boom in the United States and its implications for U.S. energy and national security. To date, the debate about the energy boom has been oversimplified. Some people argue that the boom will make the United States self-sufficient in energy, permitting the nation to retreat from its commitments overseas. Other analysts argue that nothing has changed and that the United States remains dangerously vulnerable to global energy-market dynamics. The reality is more complex: The energy boom will have profound implications on energy markets and political relationships between major consumers and producers. Furthermore, energy security will remain a key concern for U.S. foreign policy. These factors call for a reassessment of U.S. strategy to seize opportunities and manage challenges associated with maintaining energy security.

This report interprets energy security for the United States to mean reliable access to sufficient, affordable energy supplies to fuel economic growth. The three key factors in the promotion of energy security are increasing energy efficiency, diversifying supply and investing in energy production for the future. The United States is currently taking a major step forward in energy production as a result of the shale energy boom, a development that will contribute to, but not ensure, energy security.

The application of sophisticated, “unconventional” oil and gas extractive technology to shale rock formations over the past five years has precipitated a dramatic increase in U.S. energy production. A glut of gas has flooded the U.S. market and caused prices to plummet from historical levels. Unconventional oil production, moreover, led to the largest annual production increase in U.S. history in 2012 and substantially reduced the need for oil imports. Internationally, new U.S. oil supplies have helped to cap the price spikes caused by severe global supply disruptions and to moderate oil prices for consumers.

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Author

  • Elizabeth Rosenberg

    Former Senior Fellow and Director, Energy, Economics and Security Program

    Elizabeth Rosenberg is a former Senior Fellow and Director of the Energy, Economics, and Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. In this capacity, she publ...

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