By Mike Ward, Executive Director of the Virginia Petroleum Council
Anyone who watches the news knows that there is a lot of turmoil in oil-producing regions around the world. From the Middle East to Venezuela, violence and instability plague many places that supply us with oil.
That is where Canada, our largest trading partner, comes in. By getting more of our energy from our friendly North American neighbor, we will reduce U.S. reliance on energy sources from unfriendly countries and be closer to reaching our goal of North American energy independence.
Unfortunately, our energy infrastructure is so outdated that we can’t fully benefit from Canada’s abundant oil sands. Building the Keystone XL Pipeline would change this situation. It would allow 830,000 barrels of Canadian crude oil to come into the U.S. each day. That’s 830,000 barrels of oil per day that we don’t need to import from somewhere else. It’s clear that this pipeline will increase our nation’s energy security.
Any Virginian who uses oil or a product produced from oil will benefit from our nation importing more oil from Canada and less from elsewhere. We’ll be less vulnerable to price shocks when oil production from elsewhere is disrupted.
Energy security is one good reason to support the pipeline. Job creation is another. In its first two years, the Keystone XL Pipeline will support 42,100 jobs.
The many benefits this pipeline will bring to Virginia and the U.S. are why it has strong bipartisan support in our state. From former Senator Jim Webb and current Senator Mark Warner to the entire Republican congressional delegation, the Keystone XL Pipeline is something that unites Virginians across party lines.
That’s why it’s so frustrating that this pipeline has been delayed for so long. It’s a project that will create thousands of jobs. It will boost our energy security. It’s supported by a majority of Americans, regardless of political party. Why isn’t it being built?
This election year may be our best opportunity to push for the Keystone XL Pipeline’s approval. As they seek our votes, it’s important to remind our elected officials about why we need this project. We have to let them know that this is one thing that Congress can act on without the usual partisan bickering.
It’s essential that our nation’s energy infrastructure keep up with the surging oil and gas production across North America. The Keystone XL Pipeline is vital to making this happen.
