It is About Greed, Not The Local Economy
Readers’ Forum
To The Reader’s Forum:
It appears the editors of the Post Journal do not check facts before expressing their opinions promoting fossil fuels. On May 31st, they stated, “The United States instead should be pursuing long-term solutions — promoting or incentivizing the production of domestic oil and gas and investment in increased refinery capacity.”
In 2023, the United States produced an average of 12.9 million barrels per day of crude oil, a 9% increase from 2022 and breaking the previous all-time record of 12.3 million set in 2019. This made us the world’s biggest oil producer for the sixth year in a row, surpassing Saudi Arabia. We currently produce 21% of the world’s total. How much more do you want?
US fossil gas production has also seen a rapid and steady increase, doubling since 2007. As with oil, we are the largest producer, providing almost 25% of the world’s total. How much more do you want?
US refinery capacity has steadily increased since a big drop in 2020 when the pandemic caused a decrease in demand as well as a shortage of workers. A short-term decrease is expected this year as U.S. oil refiners plan twice as many refinery overhauls as usual, aiming to resume maintenance and improvements delayed by the pandemic.
So we are producing at record levels and doubling refinery overhauls and upgrades. What are the editors of the Post Journal talking about? If we are producing so much, where is it going?
Our domestic use of crude oil has not kept pace with this increase in production. US gasoline consumption dropped dramatically during the pandemic but has since been steadily increasing. Even with this increase, current consumption is about where it was in 1999. Why increase production if we are buying less? Our fossil gas consumption has pretty much matched the increase in production. If we are consuming what we produce, why drill for more? US exports of liquified natural gas, gasoline, and crude oil have all increased dramatically, over ten fold, since the early 2000s. That’s why.
If the fossil fuel industry “contributes so much to the success of our country” and hydrofracking, in particular provides such a benefit, why did a 2021 survey find that 67% of Pennsylvanians say natural gas drilling poses a major risk to the state’s water resources. Another poll found that 25% of respondents say that fracking should end as soon as possible with 30% saying it should be phased out over time. Only 31% of Pennsylvania voters support maintaining fracking in the state.
There are health effects, too. A 2022 study by the Yale School of Public Health raised concerns about health impacts on children living near fracking sites. A study by the Harvard T.…H. Chan School of Public Health, released the same year, found increased risks for seniors. Multiple studies have found an association between living near unconventional oil and gas fracking and birth defects:
If it is so hard for the editors of the Post Journal to understand why the fossil fuel industry is so maligned, all they need to do is look at the industry’s obscene profits, then start their car and take a deep breath of what is coming out of the tailpipe. This call for long-term production increases is not about the local economy or energy security but increased profits for the few, the rich and the greedy.
Tom Meara
Jamestown