Since Spindletop, Texas’ oil and natural gas industry has driven prosperity in our great state. If we were still a sovereign nation, Texas would have the 10th largest gross domestic product (GDP) in the world, ahead of Canada, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. Our families, friends and neighbors depend on the medical devices derived from oil and natural gas products, the affordable and reliable natural gas that powers nearly 40% of our electrical grid and, of course, the fuel required to move products to market.

Our unrivaled quality of life is due in large part to the innovations and technologies made possible by the industry. Not only does it provide the energy we need, but 96% of products we use every day like medicines, cell phones, and plastics are made with oil and natural gas. Our pocketbooks benefit from increased domestic production as well, with the average family of four saving $2,500 a year due primarily to more affordable electricity prices.

Despite these clear benefits, the pandemic and the political season have ushered in discussions of a diminished or excluded role for oil and natural gas going forward, and a domestic policy shift away from the industry. These prospects are out of touch with reality.

Nearly a billion people today live without electricity and three billion do not have access to clean cooking fuel. In the developing world, access to hospitals, schools, and reliable food sources are hindered by limited infrastructure.

The full story can be read here.