Rising US energy self-sufficiency does not mean Washington will adopt an isolationist energy policy, the head of the US Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration (EIA) tells MEES.

A series of recent major studies have all highlighted a major shift in global oil trade, with the combination of rising domestic supply and increasing energy efficiency both pointing to the US drastically reducing its crude imports from the Mideast Gulf over the coming years. OPEC and IEA reports have sparked speculation of an accompanying US policy realignment to reflect the trade disengagement, but “energy self-sufficiency does not mean energy independence in the sense of removal from global oil markets,” argues Adam Sieminski. “EIA is not a policy organization, but I think it is safe to say the US is still going to have diplomatic interests and concerns regardless of what our status is as an importer or exporter.” (CONTINUED - 883 WORDS)