API comments on BOEMRE environmental impact analysis showing opportunity for exploration and job creation in the Gulf

WASHINGTON, June 7, 2011 – The American Petroleum Institute yesterday urged BOEMRE to adopt an alternative for future leasing in the western Gulf of Mexico that will lead to more oil and natural gas, more jobs and more government revenue.

In comments (API Comments on WGOM Sale 218 DSEIS Enclosures 1 and 2 here) submitted to the agency, API voiced support for progress made towards completing environmental analyses needed for future leasing, exploration and development activity to proceed in the Western Planning Area (WPA) in the Gulf of Mexico.

Detailed analysis provided in the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS), combined with existing supporting environmental documents, provide a thorough analysis upon which to make decisions related to Lease Sale 218 and future permit applications, API said.

“The completed SEIS provides ample information to move forward in this area of the Western Gulf,” said API Senior Policy Advisor Andy Radford. “This draft SEIS and supporting documents show that this area is ready to be leased for exploration and development. With this information, we can move forward to help to meet our goals for job creation, increased revenues and advancing energy security.”

Last November BOEMRE announced the SEIS to determine if the Deepwater Horizon incident had altered the conclusions reached in earlier environmental impact statements prepared for the proposed lease sale. The draft analyses demonstrate support for the original conclusions and that leasing should continue.

In the cover letter to BOEMRE, API endorsed Alternative A and opposed proposed Alternative actions B and C. Alternative A offers more opportunity to discover potential new domestic energy in all unleased blocks within the WPA for oil and natural gas operations, except for portions within the boundary of the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary.

API represents more than 470 oil and natural gas companies, leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of America’s energy, supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers more than $86 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested more than $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.