Energy Tomorrow Blog

Human Capital

workforce  labor  energy citizens  energy  american petroleum institute 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 19, 2009

The oil and natural gas industry provides excellent opportunities for its employees. The work is challenging, and the salaries are an estimated two- to three-times the national average. Still, the industry is facing an employment crisis. The workforce is graying, and the number of experienced employees is declining as many reach retirement age.

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Taxing Our Way to Energy Insecurity

congress  energy  energy policy  obama  taxes  institute for 21st century energy 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 18, 2009

Did you know that Congress is about to consider massive taxes and fees on the U.S. energy sector?

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A Positive Step Forward

access  congress  energy  energy bill  energy policy  gulf of mexico  offshore drilling  energy independence and security act of 2007 

Mark Green
Posted June 17, 2009

Today, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 15 to 8 to approve an energy bill that would open part of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico for additional oil and natural gas leasing and clarify ambiguous language included in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007. This language--as originally written--could have prohibited federal agencies from using transportation fuels derived from Canadian oil sands.

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API, labor sign historic jobs promotion agreement

domestic access  energy  energy policy  unions 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 17, 2009

Today, the American Petroleum Institute (API) and labor unions announced the historic creation of the Oil and Natural Gas Industry Labor-Management Committee, which will work to preserve and create jobs by promoting domestic oil and natural gas production. Currently, the industry employs more than 1.8 million American workers and supports another 4 million workers.

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Rockin' the Bakken

api monthly statistical report  bakken formation  demand  domestic energy  energy  gasoline  production 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 17, 2009

The Bakken formation is making a noticeable improvement in U.S. oil production. According to API's Monthly Statistical Report for May 2009, U.S. oil production climbed for the fifth straight month largely because of higher output from North Dakota's Bakken shale production.

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Gasoline Prices: It's the Fundamentals

crude oil  demand  diesel  domestic access  energy  energy policy  gasoline prices  prices  supply 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 16, 2009

Gasoline prices have risen to an average of $2.67 a gallon, the highest price in the past eight months. API's Chief Economist John Felmy and Statistics Manager Ron Planting attribute the price rise largely to what they call "market fundamentals"--the basic law of supply and demand.

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Who Invests in Renewables?

alternatives  biofuels  efficiency  energy  ghg emissions  greenhouse gas emissions  investment  natural gas  oil and natural gas companies  renewable energy  renewables  solar  wind  study 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 15, 2009

Answer: U.S. oil and natural gas companies.

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Congressional Observations

congress  energy  energy citizens  energy policy  energy reality 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 15, 2009

When asked to summarize her trip to Washington last week, one of the women from the oil and natural gas industry offered two words--"extremely enlightening."

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A Political Cliffhanger

access  domestic drilling  domestic energy  energy  energy policy  gulf of mexico  offshore drilling 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 12, 2009

As API President and CEO Jack Gerard noted a couple of days ago, the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 13-10 on Tuesday to open the eastern Gulf of Mexico to oil and natural gas development.

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Connecting the Dots

congress  energy  energy policy  over regulation  waxman-markey  energy bills 

Jane Van Ryan
Posted June 11, 2009

One of the most difficult tasks in Washington is connecting the dots. What I mean is this: advocates who have staked out positions on various issues often focus on the minutiae of proposed legislation, fight to have certain language included in bills on political or ideological grounds, and neglect to consider how American consumers could be affected. Occasionally, this inability to step back and see the real-life consequences of legislation creates laws that make little sense and are costly to the taxpayers.

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