Cheap Energy

Every growing economy has always been dependent upon cheap energy.
Whether it's low maintenance slaves or a caste system, outsourced employees, or inexpensive oil - cheap energy is a necessary evil of all growing economies.

If you take a look at the above image you'll notice that Saudi oil companiess are shifting their production from Light Sweet Crude (LSC) to Heavy Crude in an effort to maintain their previous export levels.
"Oil is oil", some might quip.
But this is not the case.
Light Sweet Crude is more expensive to purchase but cheaper to refine because it contains fewer contaminants and yields more petrol.
The money saved during the refining process more than makes up for any added cost of the initial product.
As supplies of LSC dries up, we will be forced to shift to heavier and more contaminated sources of oil.
Even if we maintain the net quantity of oil being imported - the quality of the heavier oil will be inferior and the petrol yeaild will be lower.
In the end, regardless of the amount of oil being imported, gasoline will be more expensive.
(Image jacked from SeeNew)