A survey found 79% of 924 US registered voters support importing more crude oil from Canada, the American Petroleum Institute announced.
Harris Interactive, which conducted the survey for API Oct. 28-31, found 80% of respondents believe US government policies should support use of Canadian crude in the US.
API Executive Vice-Pres. Marty Durbin told reporters during a Nov. 3 conference call that the finding was “consistent with polling we’ve already done showing very broad support among the American public for increased oil and gas production here in North America.”
When asked about Canadian oil sands, 65% of respondents said they were unfamiliar with oil sands or the proposed Keystone XL pipeline project to bring crude recovered from oil sands to US refiners.
They nevertheless strongly agreed pipelines would be the safest way to bring Canadian crude to the US.
API released the survey’s results as national environmental organizations called their members to Washington for a Nov. 6 protest against possible approval by the administration of President Barack Obama of the Keystone XL pipeline project’s permit application.
“It’s not surprising that as we come closer to a decision, we are hearing more opposition,” Durbin said. “But there also is strong approval among labor officials, state officials, and local officials along the pipeline route.”
He said he was optimistic that the pipeline might be approved by yearend.
Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].
