The September 14 strikes that crippled Saudi Aramco’s Abqaiq oil processing facility should act as a reminder to policymakers that disruptions in supply anywhere in the world can still impact the United States.
The Issue Brief, Airstrikes on Abqaiq Reveal Fragility of Global Oil Supply, Demonstrate Need for United States to Reduce Oil Dependence, details how a further spark in this highly-charged environment holds the potential to set off a chain reaction with significant implications for security throughout the Middle East and for global oil markets.
The brief concludes that for the United States to counter the economic and national security consequences of such large-scale attacks on globally-significant oil infrastructure, policymakers must adopt demand-side solutions that reduce U.S. oil dependence. These include modernized fuel economy standards and greater fuel diversity, and vehicle fleet electrification in particular.
