On Thursday, June 16, API hosted bloggers for a conference call to discuss the economic benefits of oil sands development and the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Janet Annesley, vice president of communications for the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers (CAPP), took questions from bloggers along with API experts Cindy Schild, John Kerekes, Marty Durbin and Peter Lidiak.

Topics discussed included the approval process for Keystone XL, pipeline safety standards and U.S. investments in refineries that would support the pipeline. Notably, API's Cindy Schild discussed how the creation of the pipeline could create more U.S. jobs, increase energy security and strengthen the U.S. economy:

"The U.S. should approve this pipeline to utilize this resource to enhance our energy security, our national security, preserve our global competitiveness and maintain our role as a world economic leader."

The bloggers on the call included:

• Brian Westenhaus, New Energy and Fuel
• Gail Tverberg, The Oil Drum, Our Finite World
• Geoff Styles, Energy Outlook
• Joy McCann, Right Network, Little Miss Attila
• Lew Waters, Right in a Left World

For more information about Oil Sands Development and the Keystone XL, I encourage you to listen to the audio recording of the call using the player and follow along with the full transcript below.