Blake Clayton argues that federal lawmakers should overturn the ban on exporting crude oil produced in the United States.

"The hard edges of Syria's frontlines—dogmatic, revolutionary, Islamist or pure murderously sectarian—almost melt away outside the oilfields. New lines emerge pitting tribesmen against battalions, Islamists against everyone else, and creating sometimes surreal lines of engagement."

In this Energy Brief, Blake Clayton and Adam Segal argue that cyber threats to oil and gas suppliers pose an increasingly challenging problem for U.S. national security and economic competitiveness.

In this op-ed in the Dallas Morning News, Michael Levi argues that those who believe bullish reports on North American energy should also accept the possibility of a price crash.

According to Michael Levi, the boom in American energy production could be short-lived, "if we don't get serious about the accompanying risks and make sure that oil and gas development is done right."

"Even as the United States ramps up its oil production," writes Michael Levi, "it's critical that we continue to cut the amount of oil we use."

The Atlantic's Charles Mann discusses the possibility that fossil fuels might last longer than we think, presenting unexplored opportunities and risks.

According to Michael Levi in this serial of The Power Surge, decreasing demand "is the only real path to confronting the climate consequences of abundant oil."

In the first Bloomberg View excerpt of his forthcoming book The Power Surge, Michael Levi writes, "Oil markets are often as much about politics as economics, and predicting future political twists and turns should be done with care."

A groundbreaking analysis of what the changes in American energy mean for the economy, national security, and the environment, authored by one of America's most prominent experts on energy's role in the world.

With this new American energy renaissance, Meghan L. O'Sullivan says, "The United States needs to rethink its grand strategy; strength in the energy domain can be a major driver of U.S. influence in a world in which American power is more diffuse."

Michael A. Levi examines the potential security risks of U.S. dependence on oil in this response to an article published previously in Security Studies.

"If a government can finance itself through the profits on oil, it needn't collect taxes. Let me suggest that this is not a good thing. Taxes create accountability — citizens want to know how the government is spending their money. Substituting oil revenues decouples government from the people. The list of the world's worst-governed countries today features many that are dependent on the production of oil: Nigeria, Angola, Chad, Venezuela, Libya, Equatorial Guinea."

CFR senior fellow Michael A. Levi discusses President Obama's energy agenda and the energy future of America with Anya Schmemann, Director, Editorial Strategy, Studies Program.

Michael A. Levi and Daniel P. Ahn say, "If lawmakers decide to go ahead with further deficit reduction, they would be remiss not to take a hard look at higher oil taxes as part of the deal."

Taxes on oil consumption have long been a legislative third rail, yet concerns about the national debt may soon change that political calculus. Daniel Ahn and Michael Levi demonstrate that energy taxes can reduce the national debt and improve economic performance, all while reducing U.S. oil consumption.

Could Ohio, New York or Pennsylvania be the next North Dakota and "frack" its way to budget surpluses?

Michael A. Levi says, "The benefits of the oil and gas boom—jobs, wealth and, in the case of natural gas, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions—offer plenty of reasons to continue to develop these resources judiciously. But we should beware of turning this potential blessing into an unintended curse."

Drawing on lessons from a Council on Foreign Relations workshop in January 2012, Blake Clayton and Michael A. Levi examine the connection between global oil markets and international relations, saying that in many cases the oil trade is politically consequential simply because policymakers believe that it is.

With the Middle East unrest ongoing and the global economy recovering, gasoline prices are rising considerably. But policies to ease U.S. consumer impact take time and policymakers are divided over the course of action.