石油行业内部人士可能已经多次注销德克萨斯州米德兰周围尘土飞扬、灌木丛生的土地，次数多得难以计数。

但强大的米德兰盆地却持续了十年又十年、一次又一次的低迷，这有助于将美国石油产量推至新的历史高点。

随着美国各地目前经济型陆上钻探地点的减少，一些世界顶级石油生产商正在支付高额溢价以从中分得一杯羹。  

Oil industry insiders have probably written off the dusty, shrub-dotted land surrounding Midland, Texas, more times than you can easily count.

But the mighty Midland Basin has persisted—decade after decade, downturn after downturn—to help push U.S. oil production to a new record high.

And as the availability of currently economic onshore drilling locations around the U.S. shrinks, some of the world’s top oil producers are paying hefty premiums to get a piece of the action.