Jobs and the Economy: How the Energy Industry is Creating Jobs, Leading the Economy and Impacting Consumers
Authors: Khurana Sandeep 
Published: July 2010

Preface

This manuscript is intended to set the stage for two panel discussions, " Jobs and the Economy: How the Energy Industry is Creating Jobs, Leading the Economy and Impacting Consumers??, scheduled for Monday, May 3rd, 2010. The panel participants include:

Government's Role in Supporting Energy & Creating Jobs (2:00 - 3:10pm):The Honorable Sean Parnell, Governor of the State of Alaska (invited)The Honorable Mary Landrieu, US Senate; Member, Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee (invited)James Owens, President & CEO, Caterpillar, Inc. (invited)Dr. Michael Webber, Instructor, The University of Texas at Austin (confirmed)Jack Gerard, President & CEO, American Petroleum Institute (confirmed)

Private Sectors Role in Supporting Energy & Creating Jobs (3:15 - 4:30pm):Oivind Reinertsen, Senior Vice President, Gulf of Mexico, StatoilHydro (invited)Jay Timmons, Executive Vice President, National Association of Manufacturers (invited)Peter Molinaro, Vice President, Federal & State Government Affairs, Dow Chemical Company (invited)Jeff Moseley, President, Greater Houston Partnership (invited)David Holt, President Consumer Energy Alliance (confirmed)

OrganizersDavid Holt, President of Consumer Energy AllianceSandeep Khurana, Advisor, Devon Energy Corporation

Energy is the lifeblood of our economy, the backbone of our security and essential to our way of life. It powers American businesses and homes, fuels the flow of goods and services around the world, and generates tens of millions of jobs that support and sustain our communities. Whether we're referring to energy derived from oil, gas, wind, water or waste — the sun, the moon or deep inside the earth — Americans need it all. And they need it in a form and function that's stable, affordable, constant and environmentally sound.

While the national economy struggles to recover, many Americans remain unaware of the integral role that energy plays in sustaining economic capacity, maintaining productivity and providing opportunities for growth. Understanding the role our current resources play in driving commerce, while we move to diversify and expand our nation's energy portfolio to improve energy security and create jobs and economic benefits are at the core of some of the country's most pressing needs.

Today's energy problems remain a critical issue for America's consumers, businessmen and political leaders, and we must do everything we can now to create economic stability, energy security and stable prices over the near- and long-term. Elected officials, affected stakeholders and consumers must work together to create a national energy policy that fully recognizes the need to invest in new technology that encourages conservation and allows for advances in development of oil & gas resources, alternative energy, and energy efficiency. Our nation has the extraordinary potential to fuel and power itself, and we must act today to leverage those resources into new jobs, more revenue, expanded security and greater affordability in the future.