The US oil and gas industry often points opponents to job creation and other economic benefits associated with their business activities. When environmental concerns are raised, highlighting job creation – a somewhat common industry communications strategy – confuses the conversation and fails to address the issue at hand.
However, the Washington Post recently challenged the industry’s job creation footprint in a piece claiming that while the US hydrocarbon production boom is great for rebalancing the trade deficit, it’s having less of a direct employment impact. Industry trade group API’s Chief Economist John Felmy responded in a strongly-worded letter the editor.
“The Post may discount the indirect jobs of uniform companies, back-office services, truck drivers or pipefitters, but I doubt the people in those jobs do, and neither would the millions of unemployed Americans looking for work. Just as the economic impact of the auto industry is not measured solely by tire production, focusing primarily on energy extraction misses the chain of economic activity that, in the case of the energy industry, has created a manufacturing renaissance.” – Felmy, API
And if you’re especially interested in this issue, stay tuned for coverage from the inaugural American Energy and Manufacturing Competitiveness summit taking place in Washington DC this Thursday December 12th. Breaking Energy is proud to be the event’s media partner, which will be webcast live – you can find out more about the summit here. Stay updated via Twitter #2013AEMCSummit
