Men and women have greatly sacrificed over the years so that we could have energy to drive our cars, watch television, listen to the radio, and provide us energy security. In The Secret of Sherwood Forest, authors Guy H. Woodward and Grace Steele Woodward reveal how during World War II, oilmen fought the war by following the drill bit, pipeline, test tube, and refinery plants wherever they led throughout the world:
“Some fought the war in the frozen North at the Arctic Circle, other in the steaming, insect-infested jungles of the tropics. Others flew the hump over the Himalayas with fuel for our Chinese allies. Some spent their days and nights in the laboratories with their crucibles and test tubes. Many served their seven-day weeks as governmental aides in performing the many administrative duties demanded by total war. Thanks to a farseeing and wise nation that had refused to burden its oil industry with crushing controls by rigid laws, rules, and regulations, but had on the contrary, encouraged the men engaged in the hazardous business of finding and producing oil. Because of this policy, followed by more than twenty-five years, the United States reserves were sufficient to sustain a growing, healthy economy in time of peace and now furnished security and the ingredients of victory in time of war.”
Today, men and women continue to sacrifice for our energy needs, even though we have not had a strategic energy plan in place for sixty years. Fortunately, the increase in potential oil reserves in the US has risen dramatically over the last few years.
The increase in our oil reserves is due in part to the Bakken Play in North Dakota. During the winter, the cold climate in the Bakken makes it a difficult place to live. Yet men and women working there are committed to a strong energy future for America.
Energy companies in the Bakken and other places around the country are trying to survive, but they are burdened with rigid laws, rules and regulations. Reasonable regulations are welcome in the energy industry, burdensome regulations are very costly to business and consumers in our country.
As of 2012, the oil rig count in the US surpassed the natural gas rig count, approximately 1200 oil rigs to 800 natural gas rigs. To put this in perspective, in 1981 the total oil and gas rig count in the US reached 4530 then fell to a low of 488 in 1999.
Thanks to the men and women in the oil patch, we are presently finding ourselves with an abundance of natural gas and oil in this country!!
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