Shales are tough to drill, necessitating wells with lots of horizontal laterals snaking their way into thin pay zones.

FORBES: Gas Boom Boosts Halliburton

If the U.S. government permits such flim-flams as parent-to-subsidiary laterals and barter arrangements as a substitute for cash to circumvent ILSA (and, any other sanction regime), it can forget about having sanctions serve in the future as an effective policy alternative to generally ineffectual diplomatic demarches and draconian military responses.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Center For Security Policy