The real agent behind higher oil prices is the Federal Reserve, which my research shows has more power than all the sheiks of Arabia when it comes to increasing the price of oil.

FORBES: Commentary

"So many companies have moved their headquarters here or increased their presence, " says John Zimmerman, a local agent near Fort Worth who has worked with oil executives.

WSJ: From Oil, a Land Rush��WSJ Mansion

While methane is a cleaner source of energy than oil or coal when burnt, on its own it is an unusually powerful heat-trapping agent -- perhaps 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

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The drilling companies typically acquire leases with landholders who have access to oil and mineral rights below their land by using a landman (either an employee of the company or an independent agent), who offers a fixed price per acre for the right to drill, plus a royalty percentage of the value of the produced hydrocarbons.

FORBES: Shale Leases: Promised Land