It would have seemed the stuff of science fiction if it hadn’t appeared on newspapers across the world: According to new forecasts, the United States may soon overtake Saudi Arabia as the planet’s largest oil producing country. Developments in technology and high oil prices have created stunning oil booms across the U.S., transforming sleepy towns into energy powerhouses, and making the longtime dream of American energy independence a possibility again.

There’s just one problem: More oil requires more oil workers. Keep reading →