Infrastructure

We must update and expand our energy infrastructure. Energy use in this country continues to be on the rise. The Department of Energy predicts that by the year 2025, U.S. oil and natural gas demand will rise by 46 percent. Modern conveniences and innovations, from medical advances to the technology upsurge, have improved our everyday lives, but our ability to produce energy domestically has been stretched to the limit.

As demand has risen, so has the oil and natural gas industry know-how. Technological evolutions have driven down the costs of finding oil and gas with much less disturbance to the environment. In the refining sector, advances in process controls have contributed to the design of higher quality, safe and more environmentally compatible processes and products. Similar advances in pipeline systems contribute to more efficiency and a cleaner environment. However, even with these technological advances, our refining and delivery infrastructure is stretched to the limit.

Efficient energy use

By using resources efficiently today, we can ensure that reliable and affordable energy supplies will be available now and for future generations. Conserving energy is a shared responsibility between businesses and consumers. Our industry remains committed to using resources and technology to achieve better energy efficiency, and encourages consumers to play their part.

New technology

Investment in new and imaginative technologies capable of bringing traditional and non-traditional energy sources to market must be stimulated. State-of-the-art technology allows the industry to produce oil and natural gas from more remote places — some previously unreachable — with less adverse effect on the environment. Among the benefits is reduced noise from operations, decreased size of facilities, reduced emissions of pollutants, better protection of water resources, and preservation of habitats and wildlife.

Regulatory reform

For Americans to continue to benefit from the innovations made possible by the oil and natural gas industry, some changes need to be made to existing regulations. Refinery capacity is stretched to the limit, but increased regulation of refineries limit opportunities for growth. Complex, time-consuming permitting requirements limit the ability of refiners to expand capacity or build new refineries. The complex regulatory process also complicates the building of new pipelines to efficiently deliver our energy to needed areas.

Striking a balance

We need studies to determine the impact of governmental decisions and actions on our energy security, much like environmental impact studies help protect the environment. A sound National Energy Strategy should require that energy impact studies be developed to help policy makers and the public understand the potential impacts of actions and decisions on the nation’s energy security.

We need to remember that affordable energy and environmental protection is not an either/or proposition. Both can be obtained through applying sound public policy and advanced technology.

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