Contents -- Foreword -- Cast of characters -- Captive narratives: a brief and unexceptional introduction to the history of firms and states -- Part 1. The nearest faraway place -- Arabian frontiers -- American camp -- The wizards of Dhahran -- Part 2. Desire's empty quarter -- Ayyam al-Kadalak...

The US set an oil export ban after the Iranian crisis in the 1970s due to energy security issues. Since US oil production has been continuously diminishing, there had not been many issues until recently. However, after the hydraulic fracturing technology was introduced to development of shale in...