Energy Tomorrow Blog
Path to Progress – In Pennsylvania and Beyond
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Mike Sommers
Posted September 23, 2021
This week I addressed the Economic Club of Pittsburgh – in the heart of Pennsylvania’s natural gas and oil region – and I talked about the state’s critical importance to the larger U.S. energy picture and the key role our industry plays in meeting the challenge of supplying the energy that powers our nation and also in reducing emissions, toward a lower-carbon future.
Energy has transformed Pennsylvania and continues to do so. Pennsylvania’s natural gas and oil industry directly and indirectly supported nearly a half million jobs across the commonwealth’s economy in 2019. Our industry’s total economic contribution to Pennsylvania ranked among the highest in the nation, with more than $78 billion directed to the state’s GDP – including nearly $41 billion in labor income.
Let’s Support Made-in-America Natural Gas and Oil
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Mark Green
Posted August 4, 2021
President Biden’s announcement last week that more of a product must be made in the U.S. to conform to the federal Buy American Act – in support of American jobs – provides an opportunity to double down on a point we made in January, when the president advanced “Made in America” concepts via executive order.
In the same spirit, why not advance American-made natural gas and oil and American natural gas and oil jobs?
Natural gas and oil are the leading energy sources used by Americans – and the rest of the world – every day. You’d think that as the world’s leading producer of the world’s leading energy sources, the U.S. would capitalize on that leadership by fostering more safe and responsible development. Unfortunately, not.
Study: Industry’s Broad Shoulders Support U.S. Economic Recovery
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Mark Green
Posted July 20, 2021
Natural gas and oil are the energy foundation for U.S. economic growth, job creation and the opportunity for Americans to prosper all across the country. This is seen in a new analysis of our industry’s economywide and countrywide impacts: 11.3 million jobs supported in 2019 across all 50 states and the District of Columbia – generating 3.5 additional jobs elsewhere in the economy for each direct industry job, accounting for 5.6% of total U.S. employment; supported nearly $1.7 trillion to U.S. gross domestic product, or nearly 8% of the national total; supported nearly $900 billion in labor income or 6.8% of U.S. national labor income.
The analysis by PwC commissioned by API is based on the latest available government data (2019). Like other industry and business sectors, our industry was hard hit by the economic effects of the 2020 pandemic, but the 2019 data – generated during a period of robust U.S. growth, indicates the importance of the natural gas and oil industry post-pandemic, as the U.S. and global economies and petroleum demand ramp up. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects (EIA) that 2022 global oil and liquid fuels demand will eclipse 2019 levels.
Given EIA’s forecast, it’s critically important that national policy supports – and doesn’t hinder – domestic natural gas and oil production.
The Energy Infrastructure Opportunity
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Mark Green
Posted June 1, 2021
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm continues voicing support for our nation’s pipeline network, which is critically important to Americans’ everyday lives, the economy, national security and environmental progress.
Granholm last month said pipelines are “the best way to go” to deliver fuels after a cyberattack disrupted service on the Colonial fuels pipeline. Last week she said her department wants to build more pipes, particularly to transport low-carbon fuels.U.S. Consumers Need Balance, Choice in Transportation Policy
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Mark Green
Posted May 18, 2021
With President Biden in Michigan promoting his $174 billion government plan to boost electric vehicles and charging stations, let’s be clear on three things:
The natural gas and oil industry doesn’t oppose electric vehicles (EVs). To the contrary, a number of API members are involved in developing technologies and infrastructure that support EV adoption.
In the U.S. free-market economy the government shouldn’t push the market and consumers toward a specific policy outcome, with mandates that limit Americans’ transportation choices.
It’s unfair to hit up taxpayers to publicly fund EVs and their charging infrastructure – without regard to whether they own an EV.
Rather, our industry supports the concept that different vehicle technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions should be allowed to compete equally for consumer and market acceptance and growth. A hallmark of the U.S. economic system is fair competition, that is determined by the ability of a technology or product to meet consumer needs affordably and reliably.
New Mexico's Leasing Concerns Should Concern Us All
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Mark Green
Posted March 18, 2021
It’s not surprising that New Mexico’s governor, both U.S. senators and other elected officials are concerned with the Biden administration’s halt in new federal natural gas and oil leasing. In 2020, New Mexico was the nation’s No. 3 crude oil producer and No. 8 natural gas producer, and the administration’s policy could affect billions of dollars in state revenues and thousands of jobs.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, penned a letter to President Biden earlier this week cautioning that potential lost revenues as a result of the policy could mean significant hardship for her state. New Mexico receives more than 40% of its total revenue – nearly $4 billion annually – from taxes and royalties paid by the natural gas and oil industry.
Expanding Educational Opportunity For a More Diverse Workforce
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Lem Smith
Posted March 4, 2021
The natural gas and oil industry is preparing for the future by investing in the next generation of engineers, scientists and problem solvers. We’re committed to attracting and retaining a diverse, inclusive and resilient workforce of men and women ready to tackle the world’s energy and climate challenges.
Expanding access to educational opportunities is essential in this endeavor.
To this end, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil & Gas Association (LMOGA) are excited to announce two new additions to the industry’s Minority Serving Institution (MSI) initiative.CERAWeek: Sommers Talks Cooperation, Jobs and Energy Security
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Mark Green
Posted March 2, 2021
The natural gas and oil industry is foundational to the U.S. economy and security today and will be for decades to come. That’s reality – and a welcome one, given U.S. world leadership in natural gas and oil production. Natural gas and oil frame the issues of energy and environmental progress – the priorities of safely producing the affordable reliable energy Americans use every day and boosting the economy, while also reducing emissions and our industry’s environmental footprint. We can do both, together.
API President and CEO Mike Sommers underscored these themes at this week’s CERAWeek energy conference – virtual this year because of the pandemic. Sommers’ key points: The natural gas and oil industry will work with the Biden administration as much as possible to achieve progress on climate goals – including technology and regulation; natural gas and oil are fundamental to U.S. security and world leadership; and natural gas and oil is supporting U.S. and world growth, as well as the high-paying jobs of millions of Americans.
API, Historically Black Colleges and Universities Partner on Access to Industry Standards
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Debra Phillips
Posted February 23, 2021
American Petroleum Institute (API) recently announced the first three participants in its new higher education initiative which makes all 700+ API standards accessible, free of charge, to students at accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs).
Prairie View A&M University, Southern University and A&M College and Grambling University are the program’s first participants and as we mark Black History Month – celebrating diversity and the contributions of Black Americans – this news is especially timely.
API’s new program is a natural follow-on to last October’s Facebook conversation between Dr. Benjamin Chavis, National Newspaper Publishers Association president and CEO, and Mike Sommers, API President and CEO, in which they discussed career opportunities for African Americans in the natural gas and oil industry.
When Energy Policy is at Odds with Policy Goals
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Mark Green
Posted January 28, 2021
We’ve talked about the potential harm to economic recovery and U.S. energy security in the Biden administration’s early, misguided policy actions – killing the Keystone XL pipeline and halting new natural gas and oil leasing on federal lands and waters, the apparent first step toward banning federal development altogether.
Taking a closer look at the flurry of executive orders from the White House, the president’s energy actions also run counter to his own objectives, including these three:
Advancing “Made in America” concepts; conservation and environmental protection and improving the U.S. government’s relationships with Native Americans.