International unconventional plays are a target for most large oil field service firms, who are presently dependent on the U.S. for their unconventionals business.

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"In no other field are creative artists and technology professionals so dependent on partnership and mutual support, " he said.

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This hierarchy is solely dependent on the performance of the players on the field.

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Some collectors say they stay ahead of the market by becoming scholars of the field they collect, so that they're not as dependent on the advice of vested auctioneers or dealers.

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