Energy security
Regarding “Big Oil loves the war in Ukraine. But change is coming.” (March 9): It’s a pretty safe bet that the hundreds of thousands of Houstonians and millions of Texans who make their living and provide for their families in natural gas and oil jobs and jobs supported by the industry disagree with a recent opinion piece that ran in your pages.
The claims in the article disparage hard-working Americans who work every day to bring reliable, affordable energy to homes and businesses — as well as America’s allies overseas. U.S. oil and natural gas power the economy and help stabilize global markets. Even so, as CERAWeek speakers in Houston noted this month, the world faces an oil supply deficit that must be addressed to keep the energy crisis that gripped Europe last year from spreading. American energy is pivotal; U.S. producers shipped 140 percent more liquefied natural gas to Europe in 2022 than they did in 2021, helping avert a winter catastrophe and building a lower carbon world.
We fundamentally disagree with the article’s authors: The world needs more oil and natural gas, not less, because lives and livelihoods depend on the reliable, affordable energy they provide. That’s where our industry is focused: on meeting demand with American resources and reducing emissions now and in the future.
Megan Bloomgren, senior vice president of communications at the American Petroleum Institute, Washington, D.C.
Regarding “Tomlinson: Hydrogen and geothermal startups steal the show from fossil fuels at CERAWeek,” (March 13): I see Chris Tomlinson gleefully writing that fewer oil and gas company CEOs spoke at the recent CERAWeek conference, apparently hoping that means less oil and gas production here in the U.S.
Someone needs to educate Tomlinson that not only do fossil fuels make up far and away the majority of the power generation in this country, they will continue to do so for long after he is gone to the Great Beyond. Further, natural gas is cheap, plentiful, clean-burning, environmentally friendly and works when the sun doesn’t shine and the wind doesn’t blow.
Business writers would be wellserved to understand that all forms of energy generation will be required in the future as we have increased demand, instead of simply pushing their very limited “green agenda.”
Bob Fowler, Point Blank
Regarding “Manchin: The Biden Admin panders to climate activists. I won’t support their nominees.” (March 10): U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., says he’s for energy security; however, that rings hollow to the millions of Texans without power during Winter Storm Uri that cost hundreds of lives. That energy crisis was largely due to our over-reliance on fossil fuels, particularly methane or so-called “natural” gas power plants. The limited supply of gas was sold at exorbitant prices, giving corporations billions in profits in a few days. That cost was passed on to Texans with higher energy bills for decades to come.
Manchin’s emphasis on energy security for Americans also ignores the fact that corporations are making billions exporting U.S. methane gas and crude oil outside our borders, including to China. This is also increasing the price of energy in the U.S. Plus, people in fossil fuel-dominated states like Texas are suffering the health and safety consequences, including frackquakes in West Texas, as well as air and water pollution from the wellhead to the export terminals. The Freeport gas export terminal had an explosion that injured people enjoying a day at the beach. It could have been much worse.
We can’t forget the climate impacts of fossil fuels. There is a way out. When the U.S. entered World War II to fight fascism we quickly transitioned our economy to meet the urgent need to win that war. We face a similar crisis with the climate and need to shift our manufacturing and our priorities to meet our current existential challenge. Robin Schneider, executive director of Texas
Campaign for the Environment