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US energy infrastructure

Hydrocarbon Engineering,


A poll carried out by Harris Interactive on behalf of the API has sort the thoughts of Americans on domestic energy infrastructure. Below are the comments made by Cindy Schild, refining issues manager on the results.

‘By overwhelming majorities, American voters support increased development of the nation’s energy infrastructure. In a new poll conducted for API by Harris Interactive, 83% of voters support increased development of infrastructure to transport energy around the country, including 59% who express strong support. Nearly 90% of voters agree increased energy infrastructure development is good for American consumers.

‘In fact, building up our energy infrastructure is a necessity if we hope to realise the full potential of our vast energy resources. Our current pipeline infrastructure was built well before surging production in North Dakota and northeastern states transformed the energy landscape, and reversed the trajectory of our transportation needs. Our energy transportation system originally designed to move crude oil imports inland from the Gulf Coast once made sense, but shipments of crude from the Gulf to the Midwest dropped 500 000 bpd from 2008 to 2013, while shipments in the opposite direction, from the Midwest to the Gulf, jumped by 330 000 bpd. With imports decreasing and production skyrocketing in new, more remote areas, updating our infrastructure is essential for preventing bottlenecks and for ensuring Canadian and domestic oil and natural gas are most efficiently transported to market. The failure to invest in the pipelines, storage, processing, rail and marine components needed to meet our new energy reality creates growth constraints, which costs our economy jobs and money. For example, when crude oil produced in the Bakken region sells at a US$ 1 discount due to infrastructure constraints, North Dakota loses up to US$ 3 million in revenue each month, according to the Energy Policy Research Foundation.

‘The American people understand the value of maintaining an energy transportation network that will get energy to consumers and to businesses that are thriving and creating jobs due to the abundance of affordable oil and natural gas. 93% of respondents agree that increased development of energy infrastructure would help create jobs, while 89% agree infrastructure investment would strengthen America’s energy security.

‘One obvious infrastructure project with significant economic and energy security benefits is the Keystone XL pipeline, and voters remain supportive of moving forward with the project. 72% agree it is the US’s national interest to approve the Keystone XL pipeline so that it can transport North American oil to US refineries, while 63% would like to see America import more of the oil it needs from Canada, rather than other foreign countries.

‘As early as 2024, the US could have the ability to supply 100% of our liquid fuel needs from right here in North America. The Keystone XL is a vital link toward achieving that goal and a crucial component of the infrastructure development America needs in order to enhance our energy security and capitalise on employment gains and economic growth opportunities promised by our new energy reality. The 42 000 jobs generated by the construction of the Keystone XL represent just a portion of the thousand of jobs and hundreds of billions of dollars in capital investment we can generate by brining our energy infrastructure system into the 21st century. The American people continue to strongly support both Keystone XL and greater energy infrastructure investment, and these job creating projects should be at the top of the agenda for policymakers as we head into 2014 with the potential to see our energy reality that awaits us.’

Edited from various sources by Claira Lloyd

 

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/gas-processing/13122013/us_energy_infrastructure_comments915/

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