Cathy Landry | 202-682-8122 | landryc@api.org
WASHINGTON, September 30, 2009 - Hispanics working for America’s oil and natural gas companies in 11 states are on Capitol Hill this week to meet with policymakers and discuss their concerns on major issues affecting their industry. Geologists, petroleum engineers, refinery managers and others from California, Ohio, Texas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Arkansas and beyond - all active, contributing members of their communities and their states - are using the opportunity to talk about how legislation under consideration would affect them, their communities and all American consumers.
API President and CEO Jack Gerard said the fly-in, the third in a series to help lawmakers to learn about the people of America’s oil and natural gas industry, was particularly important now as Congress considers legislation that may negatively impact these workers’ livelihoods. “Congress in the coming months has on its plate a whole host of issues that could drastically impact the oil and gas industry,” said API President Jack Gerard. “It’s important for Congress to know what adding new energy taxes, denying additional access to development of America’s oil and gas resources or imposing new, burdensome regulations can have on the 9.2 million people who depend on the industry for their jobs - and on those peoples’ families and communities.”
For Cecilia “Ceci” Leonard, a vice president of reservoir engineering for Devon Energy Company in Oklahoma City, the fly-in is about “helping to reshape the perceptions Congress has” about the oil and gas industry. “I really want to put a face on oil and gas because, frankly, we have an image problem. I want everyone - including Congress - to know that we are regular, responsible and educated people. We are active in our community. We are professional. We recycle. We want what’s best for our kids. We are good citizens.”
Leonard is a second-generation petroleum worker. In many ways her very existence was due to the industry. “My dad is a Texan and he went to Venezuela to work in the oil fields. There he met my mom, who is Venezuelan. He was transferred to Ecuador, where I was born.” An “oil brat,” Leonard lived around the world, including Colombia, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, as her father transferred oil jobs.
Leonard wants lawmakers to know that decisions they make in Washington have real-world implications in Oklahoma City and the rest of the country. “In my job, on the exploration and production side of the industry, I have to look at how much capital is available to invest and where is the best place to put that capital. Some of this legislation Congress is considering has the potential to increase our costs, reduce our investments - and ultimately reduce the amount of production here in the United States.”
Shell’s Alicia Izarraraz believes it is important for Congress to understand how important oil and gas is to the nation’s economy. “The vitality of the energy sector is crucial to America’s economic recovery,” said Izarraraz, who manages Shell’s Martinez, California, refinery, a 160,000-barrel-per-day plant that employees more than 700 people. “The oil and gas industry is ready to meet the challenge of balancing the nation’s energy demands with the need for environmental and climate protection.”
Izarraraz, who was born Mexico, also said it was critical that Congress put policies in place that “champion the innovations that will lead to more jobs and energy security. This means not imposing new taxes that restrict the industry, and having policies that encourage more production in order to meet growing energy demand,” she said.
Izarraraz and her husband Scott have three children. She also is mother to her younger brother Juan whom she adopted after the death of their mother.
Updated: September 30, 2009