Since the US does not allow exports of crude oil, the shale revolution pushed down the US benchmark price, the West Texas Intermediate, relative to international crude prices, sometimes with differentials as wide as $20. US refiners took advantage of lower prices to increase their exports of petroleum products – so much so, that they are now threatening the market share of Saudi refineries in Asia and elsewhere.
这同样适用于炼油行业。由于美国不允许原油出口，页岩革命拉低了美国基准价格，西德克萨斯交易所的原油价格相对于国际原油价格有时相差20美元之多。美国炼油商利用较低的价格来增加自身石油产品出口，并因此威胁到沙特企业在亚洲及其它地区的市场份额。