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API Says Oil, Gas Industry to Help Spur US Economy; Launches Excellence Program

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The oil and natural gas industry can help lead the United States out of its economic recession and build back stronger through innovation and new technologies that will supply affordable, dependable energy while continuously improving environmental performance," American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers said January 13 during API’s annual State American Energy report.

Sommers added that there is growing confidence that America’s energy future will be cleaner and brighter because of natural gas and oil abundance and an adapting and ever-evolving industry.

“Today, I’m going to outline a path, a vision, for an affordable, secure, reliable cleaner energy future; one marked by a shared commitment across many industries to innovation, action, and problem-solving,” Sommer told a virtual audience of about 2,000. “We’ve become conditioned to pitting using energy against making environmental progress, yet history has shown that this is a false choice,” Sommers said. “Both developing energy and reducing emissions are essential to advance our society and protect the environment without energy and environmental progress.”

The State of American Energy report revealed that the natural gas and oil industry remains a reliable foundation for America’s economic recovery. “Natural gas and oil are both supporting our nation’s recovery, [which will] come back from the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sommers maintained. He insisted that energy affordability is more important than ever as the country recovers from the pandemic. “A government that’s focused on recovery for all should reject policies that could drive up energy costs and hurt those who can least afford them,” Sommers said.

He further added that the pandemic offered reminders of “just how crucial the natural gas and oil industry is to everyday life.”

Sommers outlined a plan to help track and reduce flaring in API member operations to continue the downward trend on methane emissions through The Environmental Partnership. “No nation anywhere has reduced annual greenhouse gas emissions more than we have in the United States,” Sommers added. “Over the last decade, our nation achieved the largest-ever decline in energy-related greenhouse gas emissions. Change is in motion, and it’s a long arc as the majority of the world’s energy needs are projected to come from natural gas and oil far into the future.”

During the event, Sommers also announced the launch of API Energy Excellence, which establishes benchmarks on safety, security, and environmental protection that every API member will be expected to pursue and reach.

Core elements range from safety culture and community engagement to employee training and equipment design and aim to accelerate safety and environmental progress by sharing best practices and new technologies and annual progress reporting.

“With this new program, we’re creating a roadmap for accelerating performance across all segments of our industry,” Sommers said. “For nearly a century, API’s standards have supported the safe and environmentally responsible development, production, and transportation of natural gas and oil operations. API Energy Excellence is the next big step.”

To learn more about API Energy Excellence, view a fact sheet here.

View API’s 2021 State of American Energy digital report here and a copy of Sommers’ remarks here.

 

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