BACKGROUND Saudi Arabia’s oil production and proven reserves play an important role in global energy security. This thesis examines topics in energy security, with a focus on Saudi Arabia and security implications for both the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and regional considerations for the Middle East. Chapter 1 examines the role of Saudi Arabia as a swing producer of oil and the effect this has on U.S. security. Saudi Arabia uses this role as an instrument of state power, allowing it to maintain an influential position in international relations. Chapter 2 examines the impacts of the U.S. shale oil revolution on Saudi Arabia’s stability. Since Saudi Arabia uses oil export funds for internal and external stability, an increased shale oil market share creates a long-term stability vulnerability. Chapter 3 examines how changes to U.S. energy independence may affect the balance of power in the Middle East in the future. In the end, economic interests are more important to the U.S. than the physical supply of oil. AIM This research study identifies Saudi Arabia’s role as a swing producer and assess what it means in the context of U.S. energy security. By examining when Saudi Arabia abandons this very critical role, the aim is of generating a theory related to the area of U.S. energy security. The research also aims to understand Saudi Arabia’s relationship with oil and its implications because of U.S. shale oil revolution. The final aim is to understand how U.S. energy independence is causing Saudi Arabia and other powers with interests in the region to maneuver. METHOD A use case methodology is used to guide data collection, analysis, and reporting. Data was collected from scholarly journals, books, and various newspapers and magazines. Chapter 1 uses congruence procedures to investigate dissimilarities between when Saudi Arabia acted as a swing producer and when it abandoned the role. The data collected and analyzed in Chapter 1 related to the importance of Saudi Arabia’s role is employed in Chapter 2 to understand the ...