text: The Hunt for Oil and Natural Gas is Getting More Intense | The Motley Fool
  By Taylor Muckerman and Joel South - Mar 5, 2014 at 9:40AM
  Drilling activity for oil and natural gas outside of the United States hasn't been this high in over 30 years.
  At the same time when most major oil companies like ExxonMobil ( XOM 0.29% ) are pulling back on the capital expenditure lever, drilling activity outside of the United States is reaching 30 year highs. For the past couple of years, America's drilling and production has been the clear headline in the energy sector. It appears the rest of the world is determined to catch up. With the price of oil riding high internationally, drilling programs have amped up in both conventional and unconventional -- i.e. horizontal and offshore -- wells. The Middle East and Africa have been leading the charge, where national oil companies typically rule the roost. For more, check out the short clip below.