U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, political unrest in South
America, growing U.S. antipathy in Iran, and civil wars
in Africa have driven crude oil prices up several times in the last
several years. Although oil prices fell significantly in
2011, they are expected to rise again as the world economy
recovers. Adding to the uncertainty, it is predicted that natural
gas prices, which fell in concert with significant new gas field
discoveries, will rise as more and more utilities switch from...