Oil Exports and Energy Development
Mark Green
Posted May 13, 2015
Senators Push to Lift Crude Oil Export Ban
The Hill: Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) have introduced a bill to lift the 40-year-old ban on crude oil exports.
The bill would fulfill one of Murkowski’s biggest energy priorities and allow American oil companies to export crude oil as they do petroleum products. It would also allow exports of condensate, a type of light crude oil.
“America’s energy landscape has changed dramatically since the export ban was put in place in the 1970s. We have moved from energy scarcity to energy abundance. Unfortunately, our energy policies have not kept pace,” Murkowski said in a statement.
“This legislation builds from bipartisan ideas, linking energy security and infrastructure to expanding exports and helping our allies. Our nation has an opportunity to embrace its role as a global energy powerhouse, sending a signal to the world that we are open for business and will stand by our friends in need.”
Eleven Republicans have co-sponsored the bill, but Heitkamp is the only Democrat to sign on so far. In a statement, she said the bill would do away with the “nonsensical, out-of-date” ban.
“The 1970s-era ban on exporting American crude oil is as outdated as the typewriters on which the policy was written,” she said. “It’s past time for an upgrade.”
Read more: http://bit.ly/1Iy5KsO
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- Analysis - U.S. Arctic Oil Drilling is a Bet On China: http://onforb.es/1cTwCXj
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.