What a difference a year makes. At this time last year, shale drillers were focused on one thing: survival. Many were cutting spending so deeply that they wouldn’t be able to drill enough new wells to prevent dramatic production declines. However, with a more balanced oil market in 2017, which has provided some stability to oil prices, drillers are boosting their budgets in dramatic fashion. According to an analysis by Wood Mackenzie, drillers in the U.S. plan to spend $15 billion more this year, a staggering 60% hike from last year.