MICHEL HALBOUTY: How To Break the Middle East Oil Habit

Texas wildcatter MICHEL HALBOUTY says the U.S. must drill more domestic oil and form worldwide pacts to eliminate the need for Arabian petroleum

Q. You have said we must end our dependence on Middle East oil. Given our huge reliance on the Arab countries, is it possible ever to become entirely free of them?

A. There are plenty of reserves to be found in our own hemisphere. We must work more closely with Canada, Mexico and the Central and South American countries so that we don't have to worry about Middle East political volatilities and the problems of transportation over long distances.

Q. Where else are the big untapped fields?

A. The Arctic offers giant possibilities. So does the entire Pacific Rim -- Indonesia,...

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