Dallas Fed: Brown and Alm on Oil Supplies

Lynne Kiesling

Stephen Brown and Richard Alm of the Dallas Fed have an Economic Letter on the effects of economic freedom on oil supplies. It’s a very interesting read, with lots of insights.

Having oil is one thing. Delivering it to a growing market is another. World economies differ greatly in their capacity to organize enterprises, adopt new technologies, raise capital and supply what consumers want. When it comes to increasing oil production, economic systems matter quite a bit. More oil would flow onto world markets and prices would be lower if major oil resources were in countries where producers responded freely to market incentives. The extent of economic freedom in the countries with the world’s oil supplies will greatly affect how well that oil is delivered to consumers.