The OPEC oil embargo was an event where the 12 countries that made up OPEC stopped selling oil to the United States. The embargo sent gas prices through the roof. Between 1973-1974, prices more than quadrupled. The embargo contributed to stagflation.
The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) then took over, ruling the oil markets and oil prices in the years that followed. However, with the discovery of shale oil in the U.S. and advances in drilling techniques, the U.S. has since re-emerged as a top energy producer.
