The Geopolitics of Industrial Hemp -A Duel with American Shale.
Painter: Aaron Jasinski The international energy market has been going through a major transition over the past decade. The age of Saudi and OPEC domination is over and the culprits for the demise lie in the American heartland, not the Pentagon. Over the past five years, the shale and natural gas industries experienced substantial technological advances. The most noteworthy breakthrough, by far, has been the ability to liquify natural gas for storage. Add to that new horizontal drilling techniques and an updated network of pipelines and you have a country on track to becoming a net energy exporter, for the first time since the 1950's. In addition to solving the Middle East conundrum that condemned the Bush folks to the 9th circle of Hell, these gains paint a very positive portrait for the future of the American shale market. Environmental concerns notwithstanding, and there are many , what could possibly upend this enviable market position? The challenger