The U.S. oil and gas industry is one of the largest employers in the country, supporting more than 9 million jobs including many green jobs, and providing the cost-competitive energy that is the lifeblood of the economy. With the right public policies, we stand ready to create new jobs and help fuel an economic recovery that will benefit all Americans.

The U.S. oil and natural gas industry supports millions of jobs throughout the economy, directly employing more than 2.1 million people.

• That’s more than three times the number of people employed by utilities – and 17 times the number of jobs in the coal industry.

   

• That’s 700,000 more jobs than the building construction industry, and more than twice as many as machinery manufacturing.

   

• The number of direct oil and gas industry employees is larger than the populations of 15 states.

   

• In total, the oil and gas industry supports 9.2 million jobs and adds more than $1 trillion to our national economy.

   

• Employment supported by the oil and gas industry rose by nearly 2 million jobs between 2004 and 2007.

   

• Expansion and upgrade projects at domestic refineries, pipelines and storage tanks account for about 98,000 construction jobs and an additional 500 permanent refinery positions.

The oil and natural gas industry leads investments to cut greenhouse gases and create green jobs.

• The industry is a major creator of green jobs and invested $58.4 billion in greenhouse gas mitigating technologies from 2000 to 2008 in the North American market, which was more than the federal government or by all other U.S.-based private industries combined.

   

• Oil and natural gas companies will continue their investments and involvement in alternative energy, and all of this will mean millions of jobs – high tech jobs, traditional industry jobs and what has become known as green jobs.

   

• The U.S. oil and natural gas industry has already created large numbers of green jobs. Green jobs to develop advanced batteries, biofuels and other alternatives. Green jobs for finding and implementing ways to decrease energy use. Green jobs to increase recycling. Green jobs for developing carbon capture and storage technology. And many more.

   

• According to methodology from the Center for American Progress, the industry created about one million jobs related to green technology just from its 2000 through 2008 low-carbon investments.

Increasing access to oil and gas resources currently off-limits on federal lands would further increase jobs and government tax revenues.

• It is estimated that by 2030, an additional 160,000 jobs could be created by allowing companies to access areas that are currently off-limits.

   

• This access is estimated to yield an additional $1.7 trillion in government revenues from royalties, bonuses, severance taxes, property taxes and income taxes over the life of the resource.

Natural gas development supports millions of jobs and can grow even more. Clean-burning natural gas not only helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it also supports millions of jobs. 

• Natural gas development supports nearly 3 million jobs in 49 states.

   

• A recent study found that development of Pennsylvania’s Marcellus Shale alone could generate $13.5 billion in value added and almost 175,000 jobs in 2020. Other states with significant potential to develop shale gas include New York, West Virginia, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas and Oklahoma.

   

• This same study noted that Marcellus Shale development will pump $14.17 billion into the state’s economy in 2010 and create more than 98,000 jobs, while generating $800 million in state and local tax revenues.

   

Greater production of Canadian oil sands could generate more jobs here in the United States and improve our energy security.  

• Canadian oil sands development could add another 342,000 U.S. jobs between 2010 and 2015.

Poorly-reasoned climate policies can kill jobs throughout the economy and in the oil and natural gas industry. Numerous studies – including an analysis done by the EIA – projected that the cap and trade approach approved by the House could cause a net loss of more than 2 million jobs – even after accounting for new green jobs.

• Legislation like the House-passed Waxman-Markey bill could also reduce annual refinery investments by $90 billion. That could put many of the 98,000 construction jobs in “pipelines, refineries and storage tank related activities” in jeopardy. Approximately 19,000 workers directly employed by refiners could be put out of work.

For additional information on the oil and natural gas industry and jobs, read API President and CEO Jack Gerard’s recent speech at the 6th Annual State of the Energy Industry USEA Conference.