A new US opinion poll shows that 90% of voters agree that natural gas and oil play an essential role in strengthening the US economy.
The poll results conducted by American Business intelligence company Morning Consult were released by the American Petroleum Institute (API) on Wednesday.
The poll follows a recent study analyzing 2021 economic data that showed the natural gas and oil industries supported 10.8 million jobs throughout America and contributed nearly $1.8 trillion to the US economy.
The majority of the 2,003 registered voters who participated in the poll believe lawmakers should consider the economic importance of these resources when assessing new energy policies and regulations.
According to the polling results, 88% of voters believe it is important to produce natural gas and oil in the US, while 83% of voters agree that the government should consider economic data when developing regulations that would affect the development of the country’s energy infrastructure.
Almost 88% of voters believe that producing natural gas and oil in the US could help lower energy costs for American consumers and small businesses.
Around 85% of voters agree that producing natural gas and oil in the US helps make the country more secure against actions by countries like China and Russia.
Some 80% of these voters, meanwhile, support increased development of the country's energy infrastructure.
'American voters understand and support the critical role the natural gas and oil industry plays in powering our nation’s economy,' API President and CEO Mike Sommers was quoted as saying in the statement.
According to Sommers, American citizens recognized the necessity for laws and rules that promote investment and support development in order to maintain the industry's growing economic contributions.
'It's time for Congress and the administration to build on recent momentum and continue to drive improvements to our permitting process that enable American energy to serve as a foundation for long-term economic growth and energy security,' he added.
The US is still the world’s largest oil-producing country, with 12.7 million barrels per day, according to recent data by the Energy Information Administration (EIA).
The agency's Short-Term Energy Outlook (STEO) released on July 12 showed the country’s crude oil output is predicted to reach an average of 12.56 million bpd this year and 12.85 million bpd next year.
However, the US Administration frequently considers the option of reducing the funding and production of fossil fuels with the aim of reaching its net zero carbon emissions targets.
US President Joe Biden, who appears to be fighting against fossil fuels, wants to replace them with renewable sources while also sanctioning long-term oil drilling projects.
However, in March, the Biden administration officially approved a controversial oil drilling project in Alaska known as Willow. The project will bring online some 600 million barrels of crude oil over the next three decades.
Earlier in May, the country unveiled a plan to slash greenhouse gas emissions from the US power industry to decarbonize the economy and fight climate change.
And conversely, Biden frequently asks producers in the OPEC+ group to increase output in order to lower crude oil prices.
By Duygu Alhan and Sibel Morrow
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr