COLUMBUS, OHIO, February 19, 2013 – The Ohio Petroleum Council (OPC) applauded Governor Kasich’s third State of the State address and said that Ohio’s burgeoning oil and natural gas industry is well positioned to advance the administration’s goals of continued economic growth and job creation.

“Ohio’s oil and natural gas industry is a proven game-changer in the state’s economic resurgence,” said OPC Legislative Analyst Robert Eshenbaugh. “The arrival of shale energy development and production in Ohio has brought tens of thousands of new high paying jobs and the promise of a bright economic future for hard working Ohio families. Our industry not only shares the governor’s desire for progress, we are leading the way.”

In 2012, more than 38,380 high paying Ohio jobs were directly attributed to oil and natural gas activity. These jobs are expected to increase to 143,595 by 2020 and to 266,624 by 2035, according to a recent study by the global information and research firm IHS.

“We are encouraged by the governor’s focus on shale energy,” said Eshenbaugh. “We will continue to work closely with the administration and legislative leaders to advance smart regulatory and economic policies for the benefit of all Ohioans.”

OPC is a division of API, which represents all segments of America's technology-driven oil and natural gas industry. Its 500-plus members provide most of the nation's energy. The industry also supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers $86 million a day in revenue to our government, and since 2000, has invested over $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.