In early June, the American Petroleum Institute flew 30 working women from the industry to Washington, DC, to tell senators, representatives, and senior staff members what's good about oil and natural gas.
"We wanted to show the human face of the industry, helping policymakers understand that actions that affect the oil and gas industry have consequences for real people all across the country, their families, and their communities," said API spokesperson Karen Matusic.
Well, it's about time! For more than 30 years this reporter has advised every PR person and company executive he could buttonhole to quit sending the "Suits" to testify before Congress and let workers tell the industry's story instead.
Fat-cat heads of major companies with their corporate jets and golden parachutes are just red meat for government panels playing to constituents. A working Joe watching government officials berate industry executives on TV doesn't identify with CEOs trying to explain away "excess profits" or defend the industry's need for tax breaks—especially when those executives take home more in annual bonuses than the average voter could earn in two lifetimes.
It would be more effective if working stiffs from the oil patch and refineries told Washington officials how the oil industry puts food on their tables, roofs over their heads, and pays college tuitions for their kids.
A geologist in West Texas loves and respects the land as much as any Iowa corn farmer. An engineer installing subsea wellheads appreciates the ocean's power and rewards as much as a commercial fisherman. Any roughneck knows better than a government economist the high cost of oil exploration in blood and sweat as well as cash. And a refinery worker has an even greater interest than nearby residents in plant safety because he may be the first casualty if something blows.
A good idea
The fly-in was the good idea of API President and CEO Jack Gerard, who hopes to make it a regular event. "We want our policymakers to meet the hard-working employees of our industry and come away with a better understanding of who we are and what we do to bring Americans the energy they need, now and in the future," he said.
Included were geologists, petrophysicists, land professionals, refinery workers, and others from Louisiana, Illinois, Texas, Arkansas, Alaska, and beyond. "I am a third-generation refinery employee, and I have seen how an industry like ours can create opportunities for people in our area," said Melissa Erker, who works at ConocoPhillips's Wood River refinery in Illinois. "I want to tell policymakers that if they do not make the right decisions now, they could put an industry out of business. It would have a devastating effect on our community where 50% of the budget for the local school district comes from the oil industry."
Louisiana native Aisha Ragas, senior geologist with Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Houston, wants lawmakers to know the industry takes its environmental responsibilities seriously. "All of our jobs are valuable, and we all care about what everyone else cares about: doing our jobs well, taking care of our families, and giving back to the community," she said.
Thuy Rocque, a petroleum engineer with Anadarko, was 11 when her family fled Vietnam in a small fishing boat. Today she's proud to be part of a diverse, high-tech workforce. "People would be surprised at the advanced technology we use to safely produce oil and natural gas," she said.
Geri Storer, a Shell Exploration & Production Co. employee in Anchorage, was a young girl when the Trans Alaska Pipeline was built and oil began to flow from the Prudhoe Bay fields. The impact on her Inupiat community was immediate. "It meant well-paying jobs, better education, and the revenues needed to provide better housing, water, and sewage for people. Those who are setting policy that affects people who live far from Washington need to consider how they are impacting the lives of others," she said.
Lynne Hackedorn, vice-president of land for Cobalt International Energy LP, Houston, an independent producer that pursues niche opportunities in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, said the proposal to eliminate expensing of intangible drilling costs could have a catastrophic impact on smaller producers like Cobalt that work high-risk areas. "I doubt this company could have been formed without IDC. We have 55 employees, and we depend on this," she said.
