I've come to the reluctant conclusion, that the politicians and big bucks are pumping the shale hoes because what else should they do? Once the big energy powers start losing their teeth, like a puma, the big kitty will start hunting dogs and cats closer to home. Pretty obvious at this point the hegemon countries are pulling back out of the world, and making all sorts of noise and circus to distract from the most obvious elephant in the room. The big cheap energy party is coming to an end, the whisky is gone, and squabbling over the last of the beers has begun. If they want to stay in power, they cannot let the populace know this. Social unrest is starting to creep up world wide, while all sorts of taking points are bellowed, it's not going to quell the feelings that people have when their standards of living keep falling, and they don't know why. For now the unrest can be held down with billy clubs. Eventually though it will break down and turmoil will ramp up. I also expect the elites to start the climate change madness again, since it offers rationing without telling the truth. This is second stage peak oil, where it becomes uneconomic to produce marginal sources. The countries that have economic sources will continue to produce, until they cross the Rubicon, then they too will start shutting in those sources. We will never run out of oil, just run out of wealth creating oils. Who knows maybe fusion reactors will save the day. Until they do plan accordingly. Cheers