Energizing Louisiana
Mark Green
Posted August 9, 2016
We kicked off our 50 states of energy blog post series on Monday with New Jersey. Over the next several weeks we’ll focus on the impacts of energy in each individual state – underscoring the reality that the United States as an energy superpower, leading the world in oil and natural gas production, is very much a sum of its energy parts. Today: Louisiana.
Click on the thumbnail to pull up a two-page infographic for the Bayou State.
Louisiana is a big energy producer – especially when you count oil and natural gas from the areas off the state’s coast – and it’s home to major portions of the country’s refining sector. In addition, with the lifting of the ban on crude oil exports and the opening of new natural gas liquefaction facilities, Louisiana is a hub for new U.S. energy exports.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Louisiana ranks fourth in natural gas output (2014 net market production) and ninth in crude oil production (as of April 2016). The state features 19 operating petroleum refineries, second only to Texas as of January 2014. The state also is home to two Strategic Petroleum Reserve facilities, made up of 29 salt caverns that can store nearly 300 million barrels of crude oil.
In terms of energy use, natural gas is No. 1 in Louisiana. In 2013 the state’s total energy consumption per capita ranked second in the country, largely because a vast industrial sector includes those refineries and a number of petrochemical plants.
Page 2 of the infographic illustrates how the country’s energy future is tied to policy choices. Analysis shows that pro-development policies yield broad benefits – from jobs and economic growth to individual household benefits. Conversely, policies characterized by regulatory constraints will produce negative impacts.
Energy is essential for virtually every aspect of our daily lives. It powers national, state and local economies, gets us to work and goes into products we rely on for health and comfort. Safe, responsible energy development here at home is linked to national security as well as Americans’ individual prosperity and liberty – in Louisiana and all the 50 states of energy.
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.