Bill Bush | 202.682.8114 | bushw@api.org

What America is Thinking on Energy Issues

Washington, D.C., January 17, 2012 – Seventy-eight percent of South Carolina voters favor more development of U.S. oil and natural gas resources, and similar numbers believe more oil and natural gas development would provide major benefits to the nation, including more U.S. jobs, according to a new poll released today. 

"Voters in the Palmetto State know developing more of America's homegrown energy makes sense for our economy and our energy security," said API President and CEO Jack Gerard.  "Our economy will demand large amounts of oil and natural gas for at least several more decades even as the role of alternative energy increases.  Common sense says we should have Americans producing that oil and gas here at home as much as possible."     

The telephone poll of 500 likely South Carolina voters found that large majorities believe that more U.S. oil and natural gas development could produce more jobs (92 percent), help to reduce fuel costs (86 percent), increase the nation's energy security (85 percent), and deliver more revenue to the government (74 percent).  Over three-fourths (77 percent) believe that some in Washington are intentionally delaying domestic oil and natural gas development, potentially hurting the economy and leading to higher energy costs for consumers.

The United States is the world's largest producer of natural gas and third largest producer of oil.  It has very substantial reserves of both in part because of technological progress in offshore development and in the development of shale oil and natural gas onshore.

API represents more than 490 oil and natural gas companies, leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of America's energy, supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers more than $86 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested more than $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.

Methodology
The study was conducted January 10th and 12th by telephone by Public Opinion Strategies and Frederick Polls on behalf of the American Petroleum Institute among 500 likely voters in South Carolina, with a margin of error of +/- 4.38%.  A full methodology is available upon request.

"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.