API president reaffirms oil’s importance to Colorado in visit
DENVER - American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers concluded a three-day visit to Colorado, where he reaffirmed the natural gas and oil industry’s commitment to safe, responsible energy development in the Centennial State.
“Colorado is a pillar of the state economy and plays a central role in the broader American energy revolution,” Sommers said. “Our industry supports over 232,900 good-paying jobs and contributes $31.4 billion per year to Colorado’s economy alone. With the public policy headwinds currently facing the entire Colorado business community, I felt it was important to be on the ground, to visit with community leaders, and to learn even more about both the opportunities and challenges facing working families across the state.”
Sommers joined API Colorado Executive Director Lynn Granger for a series of meetings with elected officials. On Wednesday, the pair hosted a breakfast with the Hispanic, Black, Asian, LGBTQ, and Women’s chambers of commerce of Colorado, as well as a luncheon with the Aurora Chamber of Commerce and Colorado Business Roundtable. In the afternoon, Sommers and Granger participated in site tours of Extraction Oil and Gas’ Broomfield operation and the labor training facility of Pipefitters Local 208. Sommers’ visit concluded with a Thursday morning event promoting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education at Hinkley High School in Aurora. There, API partnered with Halliburton and participated in several interactive projects with students, including simulating the creation of hydraulic fracturing fluid.
“I was thrilled to welcome Mike to Colorado this week, and I’m heartened by our organization’s long-term commitment to Colorado,” Granger said. “Mike has a deep understanding of the public policy arena, and as Colorado faces unprecedented challenges in this regard, we are fortunate to have Mike’s perspective in our effort to ensure a vibrant natural gas and oil industry here, both today and into the future.”
Sommers’ visit follows the publication of a new economic analysis from API detailing the consequences of a federal ban on hydraulic fracturing. Such a ban would cost Colorado more than 350,000 jobs in 2022, and would lead to a cumulative GDP loss of $7.1 trillion by 2030.
“Colorado’s vibrancy is simply too important to ignore,” continued Sommers. “The people of this great state deserve opportunity, and they deserve certainty, with respect to our shared energy future. We look forward to playing a central role in that future.”
