Canada's Influence on Future U.S. Oil Security

The global supply of oil will closely match the demand for oil over the foreseeable future. The critical role oil plays in national economies, combined with the tight global oil supply, means that oil security is a vital concern for every country, and in particular the United States. The United States currently ranks as the largest oil consumer and oil importer, forcing them to rely on unstable sources of oil. This has resulted in the United States becoming one of the least energy-secure nations in the world. This thesis will evaluate Canadas capacity to improve American oil security to the year 2030. Canadian oil production will increase substantially in the next 20 years with most of the growth in output coming from the "oil sands". The majority of this future oil production will be exported to the United States and by 2030 Canadian oil imports will account for a large proportion of American total petroleum imports. NAFTA provisions have de-politicized the North American energy trade; this guarantees American access to Canadian oil supplies and ensures that Canada can sell to the American market. This liberal framework, therefore, increases American oil security despite a complete dependence on Canadian oil exports