The Great American Energy Tour kicked off in the Permian Basin on Monday, with national and state leaders highlighting the region as a driving force in American energy innovation and economic growth.
Among the speakers were Representative August Pfluger (R-TX) and Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Chris Wright, who both highlighted the Permian Basin’s critical role in American energy production and the innovation driving its continued growth.
Rep. Pfluger emphasized the significance of the Permian Basin’s energy production, which he said now produces nearly a quarter of all American natural gas and nearly half of all oil produced in the United States.
“We have known something here for generations that the rest of the country is just finally starting to figure out,” Rep. Pfluger said. “America runs on the Permian Basin, and frankly, the world runs on the Permian Basin.”
Rep. Pfluger said the Basin is producing seven times the oil it was producing 15 years ago. He said this increase is due to the research and development put into finding innovative ways to extract oil more efficiently.
“This is a place of risk takers, entrepreneurs, roughnecks, engineers, ranchers, truck drivers, small business owners and most importantly, families who, through the generations, are just getting the job done,” he said.
This drive, Rep. Pfluger said, is felt by the rest of the country that relies on American energy. The Texas congressman also added that President Donald Trump’s administration has prioritized American energy production and energy independence.
“It is rare to have such an expert in a cabinet position making decisions for our country that are literally going to secure us for generations to come,” he said. “Secretary Wright is that man.”
Wright also praised the Americans who have helped make the country a leading producer of oil and natural gas.
“America is the largest producer of oil and natural gas in the world, and that achievement is powered by the ingenuity, grit and hard work of American energy workers,” Wright said.
He added that President Trump “understands” how central energy is to American prosperity and opportunity. In the last two years, Wright said Trump’s agenda has helped to “unleash American energy.”
“Nowhere can the success of President Trump’s energy dominance agenda be better understood than in the Permian Basin,” Wright said. “Thanks to President Trump, we are ushering in a golden era of energy dominance, making our country stronger, more prosperous and more secure than ever before.”
