US Oil Industry Leaps On Invasion Of Ukraine To Argue For More Drilling

"Petroleum lobby calls for looser regulation and drilling on public lands to ‘ensure energy security’"

"The US oil and gas industry is using Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to pressure the Biden administration to throw open more land and ocean for domestic drilling and to loosen regulations for large companies attempting to ramp up their fossil fuel extraction.

Just hours before Russian troops began their unprovoked assault on Ukraine, the American Petroleum Institute (API) posted a string of tweets calling for the White House to “ensure energy security at home and abroad” by allowing more oil and gas drilling on public lands, extend drilling in US waters and slash regulations faced by fossil fuel firms.

API, which represents oil giants including Exxon, Chevron and Shell, has called on Biden to allow an expansion of drilling and to drop regulations that impede new gas pipelines in order to help reduce fuel costs for Americans and support European countries that have seen gas costs spiral due to concerns over supply from Russia, which provides Europe with around a third of its gas."

Oliver Milman reports for the Guardian February 26, 2022.

SEE ALSO:

"Oil-Backed Republicans Blame Biden’s Energy Policies For Russian Invasion" (HuffPost)

"U.S. Oil Industry Uses Ukraine Invasion to Push for More Drilling at Home" (New York Times)

Source: Guardian, 02/28/2022