Some offshore developments outside of North America may be gaining a competitive edge over U.S. shale, sector analysis found. U.S. shale oil developments are expected to push total U.S. production above 10 million barrels per day this year for an all-time record that, if forecasts are accurate, would put the United States in the same league as Saudi Arabia. Deep in the exploration and production side of the energy sector, the Westwood Global Energy Group said its team in Houston found the consumption of the sand used for hydraulic fracturing operations hit a new high by the second quarter of last year and the shale sector as a whole was “running in overdrive.” Shale oil developments were handicapped somewhat by a market downturn that reversed […]