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For Immediate Release
April 16, 2010

WASHINGTON - America's oil and gas producers work hard day in and day out to safely deliver homegrown energy that is critical to keeping the U.S. economy moving. The voice of these producers - who are responsible for drilling 9 out of 10 wells nationwide - is the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA).

Led by chairman Bruce Vincent, IPAA continues to fight for commonsense national policies that encourage job-creating domestic oil and gas production. And this week, Vincent - who is president of the Houston-based Swift Energy Company - took IPAA's message directly to the American people on CNBC's Mad Money. Here are key excerpts from the segment:

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On Technologies that Now Allow Access to Unconventional, Homegrown Resources

• "Shale gas in America is the discovery of an American treasure. Throughout the country, we're finding out that we can extract oil and natural gas from these shales. And create a resource base that's American, it's domestic and we can create jobs with." 

On Hydraulic Fracturing's Long, Clear Record of Safety 

• "In 60 years of utilizing this technology there's not a known example where hydraulic fracture stimulation actually contaminated freshwater reservoirs."

On the Promise of America's Natural Gas

• "Natural gas clearly is the fuel of the future. It's the cleanest hydrocarbon fuel. We now have well over 100 plus years of supply of natural gas in America."
  
• And last week, Vincent penned a column in the Midland Reporter-Telegram under the headline "Texas is America's oil, gas workhorse." This from the op-ed:

On Oil, Gas Production, Jobs in Texas

• Last year alone, Texas produced more than 346 million barrels of homegrown oil. In 2009, the state produced close to 7.6 trillion cubic feet of clean-burning natural gas. And from 2004 through 2009, Texas' natural gas production increased by more than 1.6 trillion cubic feet, which can largely be attributed to the Barnett. One study projected that in 2009, despite being one of the most difficult economic years in decades, the Barnett helped create nearly 70,000 jobs.

On Hydraulic Fracturing

• For more than 60 years, states have aggressively regulated fracturing. However, if fracturing was regulated by EPA, domestic energy production could be undercut, job creation could be hampered, and America's foreign energy dependence could deepen.

On Tax Hikes on American Oil, Gas Production

• The president's budget also calls for nearly $40 billion in new, job-killing tax hikes on American energy production. Raising taxes has never - and will never - lead our nation on a path toward energy security. ... If our goal is to stabilize energy prices and break our dangerous dependence on oil from unstable regions of the world, these enormous taxes are a step in the wrong direction.

On Critical Role Domestic Energy Production Will Continue to Play

• We have the energy reserves on-hand and at the ready to fuel, power and light our economy for generations. In fact, we have enough domestic natural gas supplies to meet our nation's needs for greater than 100 years. Our offshore oil and gas reserves are significant, too. Responsibly producing these resources will help stabilize prices for American families as we continue to develop alternative and renewable energy forms, and invest in commonsense conservation initiatives.