Oil industry unveils new education campaign

A U.S. oil and gas industry trade group on Tuesday unveiled its “Energy Works” campaign to educate Americans about the jobs and other contributions created by the industry.

American Petroleum Institute CEO Jack Gerard said the public information campaign was designed to provide facts about the industry and its people.

“The initiative features a new website that uses videos to tell the story of the industry’s workers and the communities in which they live. API will be promoting Energy Works through our ongoing work to raise energy literacy.”

Gerard said the industry has been creating jobs at a time when the overall U.S. job market has been stagnant.

“Since the recession began, the oil and natural gas industry has grown by more than 86,000 jobs.  In contrast, the economy as a whole has lost five million, according to numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.”

Gerard will continue to be a major driver of the U.S. economy.

“Our industry is going to continue investing in America.  And it’s going to continue to support common sense energy policies that encourage development all of our nation’s energy resources.  That’s the only way we’ll be able to meet our future energy needs, supply affordable energy to our economy, and put people back to work.  We see a strong role for oil and natural gas to get our economy growing again.  With Energy Works, we’re helping to educate the nation about what we can do.”

API represents more than 500 oil and natural gas companies that are leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of America’s energy, while supporting 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy. The industry also delivers more than $86 million a day in government revenue. Since 2000, it has invested more than $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.

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