Oil Industry Faces Huge Worker Shortage

The rig count has rebounded from the lows seen in late May, a small indication that oil companies in the U.S. could begin drilling anew. Shale drilling is a short-cycle prospect, requiring only a few weeks to drill and bring a well online. Because of this, the collective U.S. shale industry has been likened to the new "swing producer": low oil prices force quick cutbacks but higher prices trigger new supplies. In essence, shale could balance the market in the way OPEC used to. While that notion was always a bit simplistic, one reason that U.S. shale production won't necessarily spring into action in short order is because the people and equipment that were sidelined over the past two years can't come back at a moment's notice.