The slump in oil prices is more than a year old now, with bad news continuing for producers around the world, including those responsible for the shale revolution in the U.S.

Just look at second-quarter earnings, which largely show disappointing results again for oil companies and their shareholders.

But while there may be no end in sight for the industry’s dilemma, there may be a silver lining for producers, especially those using the downturn to hone drilling techniques, like hydraulic fracturing, to reinforce their output and profits later. (Read More)