Russia Uses Devious Means to Rid the United States of Domestic Oil and Gas

Russia is feeling the pain of increased U.S. oil and gas production. Surging U.S. oil production has been the major cause of the 60 percent drop in oil prices since June 2014. Russia’s budget depends on oil revenues and the loss of income from oil sales is putting the country into a recession. The natural gas production boom in the United States is also causing Russia heartaches, as Russia controls most of European gas sales and is dependent on that revenue. The fact that the United States is building liquefied natural gas export terminals that can provide natural gas to Europe is making Russia uncomfortable. Both the oil boom and the natural gas boom in the United States are due to hydraulic fracturing used in conjunction with directional drilling.