US Unconventional Oil Production

Sensational claims have been made for unconventional US oil production. The underlying reality is concerned with financial metrics, energy inputs and impacts upon water resources. Most unconventional oil plays suffer from early depletion. To be sustained on a medium-term basis, the industry will need to identify alternative sources of oil production and incur significant capital expenditure. In the absence of such investment it is questionable whether unconventional oil output can be sustained over the longer term in order to meaningfully afford the US "energy independence".