The American Petroleum Institute (API) released comments urging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to consider all Outer Continental Shelf areas for inclusion in the government’s offshore oil and natural gas leasing program for 2017 – 2022.
“Expanding opportunities for U.S. offshore energy production would create hundreds of thousands of new jobs, raise billions of dollars for the government and strengthen America’s international diplomacy and national security,” says Andy Radford, API senior policy advisor. “As the government works on the next leasing program, it should examine all areas with the potential to generate jobs and new revenue by advancing America’s energy renaissance.”
American voters – including majorities of Republicans, Democrats and Independents –support offshore drilling and increasing U.S. oil and natural gas production, according to recent polling by Harris Poll. However, most voters do not think the federal government does enough to encourage the development of oil and natural gas resources in the U.S.
The API says the decisions the government makes now will impact the economy and ability to exert diplomatic influence for decades. The API goes on to say that the opening of new offshore areas to exploration and development could empower the US and allies by shifting the geopolitical balance.
“To remain a global energy superpower, the US must continue to explore for and produce new domestic supplies of oil and natural gas,” says Radford. “We urge BOEM to keep existing areas available for leasing and include new areas in the Atlantic, Eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific.”
A recent poll from API and Harris Interactive Poll, in addition to a survey conducted by the NOAA, API and Quest Offshore revealed that if the US produced more oil and natural gas, it would greatly benefit job creation, increase government revenue and strengthen national security.
“American voters want more oil and natural gas produced here at home but do not see the federal government stepping up,” said API Upstream Group Director Erik Milito. “The US today prohibits oil and natural gas development in 87% of its offshore territory.”
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API: Americans favor domestic production