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Developing Oil and Natural Gas in the Gulf of Mexico Is Important--and Can Still Be Done Very Safely
Statement from API Senior Economist Rayola Dougher ("dew-er") in MP3 format:
48 kbps |
96 kbps
(173 seconds)
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(DOUGHER):
"AS EFFORTS TO STOP THE 'DEEPWATER HORIZON' OIL-SPILL AND REMEDY
ITS IMPACT ON THE GULF-REGION CONTINUE, AMERICANS ARE ASKING QUESTIONS
ABOUT OFFSHORE PRODUCTION: SHOULD WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OUR OIL
AND NATURAL GAS, IN THE GULF? AND, CAN WE DO IT SAFELY? THE
ANSWER TO BOTH QUESTIONS IS 'YES'. SAFETY IS PARAMOUNT, TO THE
PEOPLE OF AMERICA'S OIL-AND-NATURAL-GAS INDUSTRY. AND, WE HAVE
PLEDGED TO COOPERATE FULLY WITH THE GOVERNMENT, ARE CONTINUING TO
SUPPORT ITS REVIEW OF THE INCIDENT, AND ARE WORKING TO ENHANCE SAFETY,
EVERY WAY WE CAN. THE GOVERNMENT HAS INSPECTED THE DEEPWATER RIGS
AFFECTED BY THE INITIAL BLANKET MORATORIUM--AND FOUND THEM TO COMPLY
WITH SAFETY-STANDARDS. A PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION AND OTHER GROUPS
ARE REVIEWING THE INCIDENT, TO LEARN HOW WE CAN DO MORE TO ENHANCE
SAFETY. THE INDUSTRY HAS CREATED FOUR TASKFORCES--COMPRISED OF
EXPERTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD--TO ASSESS OFFSHORE EQUIPMENT AND
OPERATING-PROCEDURES--AND TO ADDRESS OIL-SPILL AND SUBSEA-WELL-CONTROL
ISSUES. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE TAKE THE TIME NECESSARY, TO
PROPERLY REVIEW SAFETY- OR REGULATORY-OVERSIGHT CHANGES. WE URGE
POLICYMAKERS TO AVOID RUSHING TO JUDGMENT--OR, WORSE, HASTILY ENACTING
POLICIES THAT COULD HAVE ENORMOUS, UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES ON OUR
NATION, AND THE RECOVERING ECONOMY. WE SHOULD TURN ASIDE PROPOSALS
THAT WOULD MAKE DOMESTIC RESOURCES UNECONOMIC TO PRODUCE--OR NEW TAXES
THAT COULD AFFECT 9.2-MILLION JOBS SUPPORTED BY THE
OIL-AND-NATURAL-GAS INDUSTRY, RESULT IN BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF
LOST GOVERNMENT-REVENUE, AND DECREASE OUR COUNTRY'S ENERGY-SECURITY.
AMERICA NEEDS OFFSHORE OIL AND NATURAL GAS, FOR GROWTH--NOW AND IN THE
FUTURE. THE REALITY IS THAT DEMAND FOR ENERGY IS GROWING.
AND, OFFSHORE DRILLING PROVIDES 30-PERCENT OF THE NATION'S OIL, AND
13-PERCENT OF ITS NATURAL-GAS PRODUCTION. THIS ENERGY IS VITAL, TO
EVERY SECTOR OF OUR ECONOMY--AND EVERY AMERICAN FAMILY. OFFSHORE
DEVELOPMENT SUPPORTS 170-THOUSAND JOBS, IN THE GULF-REGION--AND
CONTRIBUTES SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE NATION'S ENERGY- AND ECONOMIC-SECURITY.
EXPLORATORY DEEPWATER PLATFORMS, ALONE, SUPPORT MORE THAN 46-THOUSAND
JOBS. FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS, OUR INDUSTRY HAS SAFELY DEVELOPED
THE RESOURCES THAT LIE OFF OUR COASTS. AND, AMERICANS DEPEND ON
OUR INDUSTRY, FOR JOBS AND A RELIABLE ENERGY-SUPPLY. PRODUCING
DOMESTIC OIL AND NATURAL GAS IS OUR JOB. AND, DOING IT SAFELY IS
OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY. A-P-I HAS DEVELOPED A 'DEEPWATER
HORIZON' INDUSTRY-SAFETY AND -RESPONSIBILITY PAGE THAT ADDRESSES SOME OF
THE NEWS-REPORTS AND QUESTIONS, ABOUT THE INCIDENT. IT ALSO
INCLUDES INDUSTRY-STANDARDS AND BEST-PRACTICE DOCUMENTS THAT CONTAIN
GUIDANCE AND RECOMMENDATIONS, TO ADDRESS SAFETY-CONCERNS. THE
WEB-ADDRESS FOR THIS IS:
'A-P-I'-DOT-ORG-SLASH-'NEWSROOM'-SLASH-'SAFETY-RESPONSE'.
THANK YOU."
