Near the end of this decade, liquid fuels made from oil will begin to become unimaginably expensive, as the supply of crude oil can no longer meet global oil demand from China, India, and elsewhere. This will threaten the health of the global economy because, like it or not, we now live in a globalized world. The construction of plants like the Shell Pearl complex in Qatar, which converts natural gas into liquid fuels and other chemicals, will then become very profitable investments. Liquid fuels will be used for transportation for as long as they are available because of their great energy density. Countries like Russia, with huge gas reserves, might want to consider early investment in GTL plants. If I were a Russian, I would start extensive seismic work in the shallow waters in the Russian Arctic, so as to get an idea of what might be up there. Over such a vast area, it could be a whole lot. Studies done by the United States Geological Survey suggests that extensive gas deposits may be found. As an example, an exploration company using the latest seismic technology, just discovered a large gas deposit 4,000 meters below the surface in shallow water just off the Louisiana coast, an area that has been extensively explored for over 50 years. Another Middle East won't be found in the Gulf of Mexico, but might be in the Russian Arctic.