Energy Tomorrow Blog
Here’s How to Devastate U.S. Energy and the World Economy: Ban Fracking
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Mark Green
Posted November 14, 2019
Calls for a ban on hydraulic fracturing by some of the Democratic presidential candidates continue to make for discussion on the campaign trail – and boy, that is a discussion everyone should be paying attention to. The stakes are sky-high.
Recently, we highlighted this Michael Lynch analysis warning that a fracking ban could devastate the U.S. economy. Now the Manhattan Institute’s Mark P. Mills has a piece on Real Clear Energy asserting that in the most serious scenarios, banning U.S. fracking could put the global economy in recession – entirely plausible, given that the United States is the leading producer of natural gas and oil, the two energy sources that supply 54% of the globe’s fuel. In all, Mills notes in this report, fossil fuels supply 84% of the world’s energy.
Those are the stakes when candidates kick around the notion of banning hydraulic fracturing, which is used for 95% of new U.S. wells today. Ban fracking and you pull the rug out from under U.S. production – and with it, energy security, global energy leadership and, yes, environmental progress – considering increased U.S. use of natural gas has lowered energy-related carbon dioxide emissions to their lowest levels in a generation.
Offshore Energy Funds Conservation, Strengthens U.S. Economy
offshore energy revenues conservation economic growth
Mike Sommers
Posted November 7, 2019
Safe and responsible energy development drives economic growth and environmental progress, and by expanding exploration on federal lands and along the Outer Continental Shelf, the U.S. stands to generate billions of dollars in funding for infrastructure, education and conservation.
USMCA Approval Essential to Economic Progress, Energy Security
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Mike Sommers
Posted October 23, 2019
Given bipartisan consensus on the importance of trade to America and our allies, finalization and approval of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Congress is long overdue. Because North American markets are highly interdependent, maintaining the tariff-free, intracontinental flow of natural gas, oil and refined products will help ensure that American families have continued access to affordable and reliable energy, and to our export markets in Canada and Mexico.
When it comes to the U.S. economy, the advantages of the USMCA are clear. Trade with Canada and Mexico supports 12 million American jobs across every state, according to the Business Roundtable, and totaled nearly $1.3 trillion in 2017. A U.S. International Trade Commission report estimates that approving USMCA could raise real GDP by $68.2 billion and create 176,000 jobs, relative to a baseline, six years after the trade deal enters into force.
America’s Home-Grown Energy ‘Cushion’
monthly-stats-report production economic growth consumers
Dean Foreman
Posted July 18, 2019
Domestic oil production continues to benefit the U.S. – increasing energy security and driving economic growth – and cushion the economy as well as American consumers against global events that in the past impacted energy supplies, costs and prices.
Strength stemming from the U.S. energy revolution is seen in API’s latest Monthly Statistical Report (MSR), with U.S. crude oil exports setting a new record in June at 3.3 million barrels per day (mb/d), which represents growth of 1.1 mb/d over June 2018. Moreover, U.S. petroleum net imports fell to 1.3 mb/d in June from 2.9 mb/d in June 2018 – a major step closer to the U.S. becoming a net exporter of oil.
In other words, the U.S. has continued to supply virtually all of the world’s growing oil needs for transportation and industry, which has increased the stability of the global supply while generally lessening energy-related tensions.
Happy Birthday, America!
american energy us energy security economic growth
Jessica Lutz
Posted July 3, 2019
This July 4th, as a record-breaking 41 million Americans hit the roads to celebrate our nation’s independence, let’s take a moment to remember that the energy we use isn’t just the gasoline that gets us to the barbeque.
Here are just a few fun facts about the energy that goes into America’s Independence Day.
API Report: Stronger Economy, More Security Thanks to Energy
monthly-stats-report production economic growth us energy security
Dean Foreman
Posted June 20, 2019
API’s latest Monthly Statistical Report (MSR) underscores just how much recent oil production growth exceeded the pace of record U.S. domestic needs and crude oil exports, resulting in higher inventories. This production and cushion for the market have kept oil and fuel prices low, and all these factors have contributed to a stronger economy with greater U.S. energy security.
Along with the separate Industry Outlook presentation, covering energy market developments for the second quarter of 2019, we see U.S. oil and natural gas output continuing to set records, helped by low breakeven prices and productivity that underpin the longevity of the domestic energy revolution –as we discussed here.
Growing U.S. Energy Revolution Keeps Exceeding Expectations
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Dean Foreman
Posted June 12, 2019
The U.S. energy revolution continues to surge ahead – but you might not know it from some recent headlines: “The Shale Boom Is About To Go Bust” (Oil Price.com); “Oil Wells Aren’t Producing as Much as Forecast” (Wall Street Journal); “U.S. Oil Production Is Headed For A Quick Decline” (Oil Price.com)
Actually, domestic natural gas and oil production continues to expand. See API’s most recent Monthly Statistical Report. For some of the same reasons economists are so bad at predicting recessions, sometimes analysts may struggle to accurately project where U.S. energy is heading. After all, the shale revolution’s prospects have been underestimated since it launched.
U.S. LNG is the Energy for Global Progress
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Dustin Meyer
Posted March 27, 2019
We’ve focused on the numerous domestic benefits from liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, which follow the United States’ emergence as a major LNG supplier to the world market. Now let’s explore the ways U.S. LNG can help other countries meet their most pressing energy and environmental challenges.
First, let’s note that U.S. LNG exports have grown rapidly in just a few years, with cargoes reaching 34 countries across five continents.
At the same time, global LNG demand has skyrocketed. As recently as 2009, demand totaled only 182 million metric tons per annum (MMTPA). In 2018, it hit a record 319 MMTPA, a 75 percent increase.
The Growing Good-News Story on U.S. Natural Gas
natural gas lng exports us energy security trade economic growth iea
Mark Green
Posted March 5, 2019
The International Energy Agency’s Fatih Birol regularly heralds the positive impacts of the American shale energy revolution (see here, here and here). All good, but U.S. shale’s global impact is just now starting to be felt, IEA’s executive director said last week.
During a global markets update at the U.S. Energy Department with Secretary Rick Perry, Birol said the United States will be responsible for about two-thirds of the growth in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) export market. Of course, this reflects the abundance of domestic natural gas, largely produced from shale formations. Big-time global impact lies ahead, Birol said. Add to that environmental and climate progress, which we’ll get to in a bit.
Certainly, there’s every reason to believe U.S. natural gas and oil can meet or exceed global expectations. Soaring U.S. crude oil production has increased global supply, supporting the stability of global markets – while reducing weekly U.S. crude imports to their lowest level in 23 years (as of Feb. 22), according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Congress Should Approve U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement
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Mark Green
Posted February 26, 2019
When the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was announced last fall, we pointed out that it would be good for North American energy security and continue flourishing energy trade between the United States and its neighbors by providing market access and zero tariffs for U.S. natural gas and oil and related products.
The agreement would sustain and expand the gains made under its predecessor, NAFTA, which created a North American energy market, helped make the U.S. more energy secure and benefited U.S. consumers.
Congress should approve USMCA as soon as possible to lock in the critically important energy relationship between the U.S., Mexico and Canada – as well as the general flows of goods and services so vital to good economic health in this country.