We may not agree on everything, but we are united in our belief that Louisianians deserve their fair share of funding for the use of our natural resources. That’s why we’ve joined together to introduce the bipartisan BREEZE Act. Our bill increases Louisiana’s share of offshore oil and gas revenues, and sets the stage for even more funding by allowing Louisiana and other coastal states to collect revenues from the leasing of future offshore wind development.
Posts filed under Oil and Gas
Senator Kennedy introduces strategic petroleum reserve bill to block foreign sales
The goal of the bill, which is known as the No Emergency Crude Oil to Foreign Adversaries Act, is to stop “selling off American oil to countries that hate us,” according to Kennedy.
Read more: Senator Kennedy introduces strategic petroleum reserve bill to block foreign sales
Biden's Saudi trip won't help gas prices
President Joe Biden is set to visit Saudi Arabia later this week, on a trip he says is intended to shore up global supply chains and encourage diplomacy and cooperation.
But the question many are asking is: What could it mean for gas prices?
That’s because Saudi Arabia has the second-largest oil reserves in the world — and the U.S. has made it clear it wants all the Persian Gulf's oil states to boost their output. The conventional wisdom is that more oil produced means cheaper gas at the pump.
The reality is more complicated.
Read more: Biden's Saudi trip won't help gas prices
Kennedy: Biden's energy policy making American Dream more expensive
SCALISE: Joe Biden Should Not Be Sending Oil to China
“The Biden administration sold roughly one million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to a Chinese state-controlled gas giant that continues to purchase Russian oil, a move the Energy Department said would ‘support American consumers’ and combat ‘Putin’s price hike,'” the Beacon’s Collin Anderson reported. “Biden’s Energy Department in April announced the sale of 950,000 Strategic Petroleum Reserve barrels to Unipec, the trading arm of the China Petrochemical Corporation. That company, which is commonly known as Sinopec, is wholly owned by the Chinese government.”
Sinopec is also tied to Hunter Biden, whose private equity firm, BHR Partners, bought a $1.7 billion stake in the company seven years ago.
Read more: Biden Sold Oil From Emergency Reserves To Chinese Gas Giant Tied To His Scandal-Plagued Son
LOGA Responds to SCOTUS Ruling on EPA's climate powers
BATON ROUGE, LA (June 30, 2022) - Today, The United States Supreme Court ruled that the Clean Power Plan implemented under President Obama that sought to administratively determine power sector emission levels exceeded executive authority under the Clean Air Act.
In response, LOGA President Mike Moncla issued the following statement:
“Today’s decision by the Supreme Court is a step in the right direction for our great nation. This decision takes governmental overreach from appointed bureaucrats and puts it back into the hands of legislators.
The EPA’s actions and regulations have been in lockstep with the left wing’s green agenda. These types of actions cost Americans at the pump, as they continue to tighten the noose on producers and refiners, making it harder to drill for oil and gas, and more expensive to refine it. We applaud this Supreme Court decision and look forward to more balanced decisions toward our industry in the future.”
Energy Trades Open Letter to President Biden
Biden looks everywhere to lower gas prices — except boosting oil production
"The administration pretends as though no one's paying attention to the fact that they've shut down pipelines, that they've stopped leasing, that they've made it harder to produce wherever they could," Dan Kish, a senior fellow at the Institute for Energy Research, told Fox News in an interview.
"Somehow, he pretends to be surprised that price of gasoline is going up and people are hurting at the pump," he added.
Biden political gamble on Saudi trip unlikely to drive down gas prices
President Biden is using key political capital on a risky gamble – that meeting with condemned Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman will convince the Kingdom to stabilize global oil markets and ease prices for Americans at the gas pump.
But experts say it’s not guaranteed that the trip will produce lower gasoline prices and the political cost may be far greater for the president.
Read more: Biden political gamble on Saudi trip unlikely to drive down gas prices
LOGA Responds to Biden Administration's Refusal to Include Lease Sales in Five-Year Plan
BATON ROUGE, LA (May 23, 2022) - The Biden Administration has announced that they will propose a new five-year offshore drilling plan before the expiration of the current plan on June 30th. However, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland was specific to indicate that the plan will not include new lease sales.
In response, Louisiana Oil & Gas Association President Mike Moncla issued the following statement:
“Seeing as how this is the first time that the Biden Administration has even hinted that they would consider a new five-year plan, this should be considered positive news. However, Secretary Haaland refused to commit to include new lease sales in this plan that they intend to release by the end of June.
What good is a new five-year plan if there will be no new lease sales?
The whole purpose of the five-year plan is to plan out new drilling in the Gulf of Mexico over the coming five years.
This is nothing more than showboating by the Biden Administration, and it is borderline insulting for Haaland to insinuate that they’ll present a plan that doesn’t include new lease sales.
So no, I don’t see this as a 'step in the right direction.' If anything, it’s a step backwards. This administration continues to slap the oil and gas industry directly in the face with their attitude towards new drilling.
We need a five-year plan that includes the sale of new leases. Until we have that, LOGA will continue to fight for our members to be able to purchase new leases in the Gulf of Mexico.”
LOGA Responds to Biden Administration's Cancellation of GOM Lease Sales
BATON ROUGE, LA (May 12, 2022) - The Biden Administration has announced the cancellation of the last remaining lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico from the most recent Five-Year offshore drilling plan.
In response, Louisiana Oil & Gas Association President Mike Moncla released the following statement:
“The cancelling of the last remaining lease sales from the most recent renewal of the Five-Year Plan is not really news, since the Biden Administration has already said that we will not move forward with any new lease sales, but I’m glad this has made the news cycle. The cancelling of the sale of leases 259 and 261 in the Gulf of Mexico puts a beautiful exclamation point on the absolute devastation that this administration has caused to our industry, and to our nation.
We are suffering from a war overseas. Prices at the pump are at an all-time high. The only way to bring those prices down is to increase domestic energy production. It is nothing short of hypocritical that the Biden administration bans Russian energy imports, while at the same time doing everything it can to stop any and all future production in the Gulf of Mexico.
We desperately need a renewal of the Five-Year offshore leasing plan. Sadly, as long as Joe Biden is in office, his pattern of behavior indicates devastating effects on Gulf of Mexico production for years to come."
How Biden’s New Energy Restrictions Defeat His Goals For Helping Ukraine
The Biden administration has reinstated restrictive policies under the guise of environmental protections that impact the construction of major infrastructure projects in the United States, including pipelines and highways. The timing could not be worse.
Federal government regulatory intervention is on the rise. The new rule will require federal agencies to examine the climate impact of infrastructure projects under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a 1970 law that requires the government to assess the environmental outcomes.
Read more: How Biden’s New Energy Restrictions Defeat His Goals For Helping Ukraine
Complete transition to renewable energy could take 50-100 years, CEOs say
A total transition away from fossil fuels would take between 50 and 100 years, two top oil executives said.
Oil company CEOs Charlie Goodson with Petroquest and Mark Miller with Merlin Oil & Gas spoke with Jan Swift of the Discover Lafayette podcast recently and discussed the state of the industry what its future looks like as more investments are being made into renewable energy.
Read more: Complete transition to renewable energy could take 50-100 years, CEOs say
HIGGINS: Combating Biden's Anti-American Energy Policies
Knowing of our shared concern regarding rising energy and fuel costs, I am providing an update on my efforts in the U.S. House of Representatives to restore American energy independence.
President Biden’s anti-American energy policies have greatly injured the oil and gas industry, killed American jobs, and caused energy prices to rise. President Biden's policies revoked the Keystone XL pipeline permits while lifting sanctions on Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline. He enacted a drilling moratorium on federal lands and waters while calling on OPEC and Russia to boost their crude oil production. He enacted policies that rescinded Trump-era federal permitting improvements, increased regulatory burdens, threatened to increase federal royalty rates, and slowed federal approval of new energy projects and infrastructure. This administration’s energy policies have jeopardized our energy security and raised costs for American families.
To combat President Biden's disastrous energy policies, I have cosponsored numerous pieces of legislation that would protect Louisiana energy jobs and help reestablish American energy independence and American energy dominance. This includes:
H.R. 522, the Conservation Funding Protection Act, which would require annual lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico region of the outer Continental Shelf to protect offshore drilling activity and related conservation efforts.
H.R. 543, the Protecting our Wealth of Energy Resources (POWER) Act, which would prohibit the president or his secretaries of the Interior, Agriculture, and Energy departments from blocking energy or mineral leasing and permitting on federal lands and waters without congressional approval.
H.R. 684, the Keystone XL Pipeline Construction and Jobs Preservation Act, which would authorize the Keystone XL project and clarify that a presidential permit is not required for the construction, connection, operation, or maintenance of the outlined pipeline and border facilities.
H.R. 6947, the Freedom from Russian Energy Enterprise and Domestic Oil Maximization (FREEDOM) Act, which would ban imports of crude oil, petroleum products, and LNG from Russia, authorize the Keystone XL pipeline, and nullify President Biden's executive order that paused oil and gas leasing on public lands.
H.R. 7115, the Small Scale LNG Access Act, which would expedite application and approval processes for exports of natural gas.
H.Res. 940, which calls on President Biden to restore U.S. energy security and take necessary actions to increase domestic energy production.
Further, I am working closely with my colleagues on the House Energy Action Team (HEAT) to advance pro-American energy solutions. We recently delivered a HEAT letter to President Biden demanding he ends the ideological war on American energy producers and outlining several policy initiatives required to restore energy dominance and lower costs for American families.
The oil and gas industry employs roughly 6.8 million Americans and impacts every part of modern society. Congress must reverse the Biden administration’s disastrous economic and energy policies. This is especially true for Louisiana, which is one of the top oil & gas producers in the nation and. Nearly 250,000 Louisianans are employed by this industry. My office will use every legally available action to combat President Biden's injurious policies and support legislation to protect American workers and their livelihoods.
It is an honor to serve you in Congress. Please be assured my office will continue working to promote America first policies. Additionally, should you or your family ever need help with a federal agency, please contact my Lafayette office at 337-703-6105 or my Lake Charles office at 337-656-2833.
Respectfully,
Clay Higgins
Member of Congress
Why the Gulf of Mexico is Vital for U.S. Energy Security
As geopolitical tensions rise and energy prices continue to climb higher, both in the U.S. and across Europe, the world is looking to America for energy leadership and stability. Instead, this administration continues to restrict access to America’s oil and natural gas resources, and legal and regulatory uncertainty is hindering increased energy production right here at home.
Just look at the current situation in Europe. It is an example of what can happen when nations depend on energy production from foreign sources that have agendas of their own.
However, unlike Europe, the U.S. has robust domestic production. Especially as concerned American families watch energy prices rise, they look to our nation’s leaders for help ensuring access to affordable, reliable energy. These same leaders have the power to support U.S. production and energy infrastructure – for example – which would send a clear message that America is open for energy investment.
So, how does this relate to energy operations in the Gulf of Mexico?
The next 5-year offshore leasing program, which must be in place by July 1, 2022, is well behind schedule and will not be finalized by the time the current one expires. Without a new 5-year program, no federal offshore lease sales can be held.
Energy operations in the Gulf of Mexico impacts new and existing jobs. In 2021, oil and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico supported more than 325,000 American jobs.
Progress towards carbon goals. U.S. oil and natural gas produced in the Gulf of Mexico is among the lowest carbon intensive barrels produced in the world, according to a U.S. Department of the Interior analysis that shows emissions from international substitutions are more carbon intensive.
Simply put: America needs an energy policy reset in order to continue offshore leasing and production, support American jobs, and maintain our energy security.
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Read more: Why the Gulf of Mexico is Vital for U.S. Energy Security
Is President Biden to Blame for High Gas Prices in Louisiana?
The U.S. Energy Information Agency tracks prices and says back in 1994, we were paying $1.00 a gallon for gas. It went over $2 a gallon back in May of 2004. Prices climbed just above $3 a gallon in July of 2006. In July of 2008, prices went up about $4 a gallon for the first time in history. Prices then dropped to $1.84 in 2009.
Read More: Is President Biden to Blame for High Gas Prices in Louisiana??
Video of a Line of Tesla Vehicles Waiting to Be Charged in Louisiana
Curious, I pulled over and asked the guy how long it took to charge- he said normally 30 min but these stations are running slow due to demand so it’s over an hour per car. Take a look at this line…. Each car is over an hour to charge. Hope those people have food and clothes - they may not make dinner.
Louisiana AG on What to Do to Lower Gas Prices
Photo source: KPEL
When you put this bit in the ground here in America, you reduce the cost of energy, you make us more secure, you build a bigger, stronger, better middle class, and you take the burden off of the poor. So, why don't you help us lower the gasoline prices and utilities by allowing Americans and Louisianians to use this tool more often.
Read More: AG Jeff Landry Points Out the One Item That Will Lower Gas Prices|
Louisiana AG Jeff Landry Slams Biden Over Higher Energy Prices
HIGGINS: FIGHTING FOR AMERICAN ENERGY PRODUCTION
In an email sent to constituents today, Congressman Clay Higgins had the following to say regarding rising oil prices and need for domestic oil production.
Domestic energy costs have been steadily increasing since Biden took office in January 2021. This is a direct result of anti-American energy policies coming from the Biden White House. Rising energy and fuel costs are hurting American families. I and many of my colleagues on the House Energy Action Team (HEAT) have called on President Biden to end his war on America's oil and gas industry. We outlined a number of necessary actions including: approving the permit for Keystone XL, lifting the leasing moratorium on federal lands and waters, fast-tracking new LNG permits, and ending the regulatory assault on domestic oil and gas production. Read our letter here.
I also fully support an import ban on Russian energy products. Every purchase of Russian energy product provides financial support for Putin's barbaric war on Ukraine. The U.S. House of Representatives considered legislation this week on the issue. However, it was far too weak. The bill would allow Russian oil and gas imports to continue for another 45 days, and it doesn't include any provisions to support American energy production. We need swift, immediate action to hold Russia accountable and reestablish American energy independence. Read more about the vote here.
