WASHINGTON, May 21, 2013—Seventy-one percent of Americans agree that exporting domestic natural gas will help create U.S. jobs, and sixty-six percent believe that exporting natural gas will be good for the U.S. economy, according to a new poll conducted by Harris Interactive for API’s “What America is Thinking on Energy Issues” series.

"American voters know that exporting more of America's domestic energy would lead to more jobs, help the economy, and reduce the nation’s trade deficit," said API Chief Economist John Felmy. "The United States has the opportunity to get it right and use its abundant supplies of clean-burning natural gas resources to meet the president’s goal for doubling U.S. exports by 2015.”

The telephone poll of 1,006 registered American voters found that in addition to supporting the U.S. economy and job creation, more U.S. natural gas exports would help reduce the U.S. trade deficit (63 percent), helps keep energy dollars here in the U.S. rather than being sent to other regions of the world (66 percent), and increase the nation’s energy security (64 percent).

Positive support for exporting U.S. natural gas by a majority of American voters is reinforced by facts reported in a recent study produced by ICF International. The study finds that U.S. LNG exports could spur strong domestic economic and job growth.

“Industry advancements in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling have led to a dramatic increase in the estimated recoverable shale gas resources here in the U.S.,” said Felmy. “The American people get it. The U.S. can be a global energy superpower as long as our leaders pursue smart energy policy. We are also the global leaders on clean air. Technological advances that have enabled us to reach natural gas from shale have also helped the U.S. lower its carbon dioxide to 1994 levels.”

API is a national trade association that represents all segments of America’s technology-driven oil and natural gas industry. Its more than 500 members – including large integrated companies, exploration and production, refining, marketing, pipeline, and marine businesses, and service and supply firms – 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 $85 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.

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Methodology

The study was conducted May 10-15, 2013, by telephone by Harris Interactive on behalf of the American Petroleum Institute among 1,006 registered voters across the country, with a sampling error of +/- 3.0%. A full methodology is available upon request. Harris Interactive is one of the world’s leading custom market research firms, known widely for the Harris Poll. For more information, visit www.harrisinteractive.com.

"What America is Thinking on Energy Issues" is a public opinion series provided by API, offering data to inform policy discussions and ensure policymakers and others know Americans' perspectives on key energy issues.