In our State of American Energy report we told the story of Jimmie Pavelock, the assistant fire chief of the Glenham (New York) Fire District, a first responder who exemplifies what it means to serve the greater good. Click the link above and turn to Pages 56-57 to read more about community and giving back. Below, some of our video interview with Jimmie:
Certainly, Jimmie Pavelock knows what it means to serve in the community. So do members of the natural gas and oil industry. The measure of an industry or a business sector’s commitment to local communities is seen in what they do – as a corporation, or as individuals.
As an industry, we recognize that strengthening the communities in which we operate – and where our employees live and raise their families alongside their neighbors – is about protecting them, providing opportunity for growth and prosperity and in lending a helping hand. It’s about contributing to the greater good.
Here at API a big part of our work is developing industry standards that help enhance safety, for our workers and the facilities where they do their jobs and for the surrounding community. Since 1924, API has developed nearly 700 standards covering all segments of the industry to continuously improve the safety of natural gas and oil development, refining and delivery systems – including oil tankers:
We’re also deeply committed to protecting the environment, including America’s coastlines. We recognize the vast economic benefits from offshore energy that are available to the entire country – not just the coastal states – are directly tied to industry’s ability to develop offshore natural gas and oil safely and responsibly. Implementing an organized, systematic approach to safe operations and worker safety is a big part of protecting our beaches, tourism and fishing industries:
The natural gas and oil industry creates opportunity – for work, for growth, for advancement in a variety of disciplines. And this opportunity is expected to grow significantly over the next decade and a half. By 2035, our industry is projected to have almost 1.9 million new job opportunities, with women and minorities accounting for hundreds of thousands of them. Millennials are projected to account for 41 percent of our workforce in 2035, up from 34 percent today.
Then there’s the giving back. Our companies protect wildlife and conserve habitat. They support STEM education and recruit women and minorities that historically have been under-represented in the natural gas and oil industry – committed to the benefits of building a more diverse workforce.
Even more, they get involved. One natural gas and oil company supports firefighters in Glenham, New York, like Jimmie Pavelock. Other companies and their employees volunteered and raised money after last summer’s hurricanes – more than $32 million was donated in Texas alone.
Our industry values good communities and works to make them stronger by being conscientious neighbors. Because these are our communities, too.
By Mark Green
Originally posted March 12, 2018
Energy Tomorrow is brought to you by the American Petroleum Institute (API), which is the only national trade association that represents all aspects of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 500 corporate members, from the largest major oil company to the smallest of independents, come from all segments of the industry. They are producers, refiners, suppliers, pipeline operators and marine transporters, as well as service and supply companies that support all segments of the industry.
