President Trump shines a light on the energy industry in Midland, TX
Yesterday, President Trump spoke in Midland, TX on continuing energy dominance in the U.S. through the Permian Basin. He discussed Texas’ rise as a stronghold for U.S. energy development thanks to contributions by the many companies and workers involved. Importantly, the President also signed four permits to grant approval for pipeline and railway infrastructure along the U.S. border:
“Today, I’m taking another bold action to support energy jobs in Texas. In a few moments, I will sign four critical permits, granting approval to vital pipeline and railway infrastructure on our nation’s border. That’s a big deal. This will include two permits allowing the export of Texas crude to Mexico — a giant victory for the workers of this state that you’ve been after for many years.”
These permits are crucial to building out the region’s infrastructure, and are a welcome relief given bottleneck concerns. A new report indicates that Permian flaring could continue to rise if pipeline development remains stagnant against an increase in natural gas production. Added pipeline capacity means more product gets to market, and less product falls victim to flaring.
Further, the coronavirus pandemic and global price wars have hit the oil and gas industry hard. These permits are key in allowing our nation’s energy industry to rebound and meet surging demand as business operations resume nationwide.
President Trump later acknowledged the incredible production growth of both oil and natural gas in the Permian Basin since he took office. He noted other valuable developments his administration has facilitated through its energy agenda:
“Under the Trump administration, the United States has increased oil production by 3.1 million barrels per day. That’s some number. Never been anything like that number. For the first time in nearly 70 years, we have become a net energy exporter. And the United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas on the face of the Earth.”
President Trump also chided a proposed budget amendment from Rep. Ocasio-Cortez that would bar the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from issuing permits that would impede the construction of future energy projects. If passed, the amendment could interfere with the Corps’ construction and restoration efforts on nearly 8,000 projects annually. This is a thumb in the eye of regulators nationwide from the Ocasio-Cortez camp.
Thanks to a focused agenda on energy, the Trump administration has been able to bring the country to the forefront of energy production, sufficiency, and efficiency.