Page 22: of Marine News Magazine (September 2020)

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COLUMN

The Gulf of Mexico:

An Energy Platform for America

Even as business, schools and scenes from everyday life In 2019, the U.S. Gulf of Mexico produced an aver- seem frozen as society adjusts to the coronavirus, the U.S. age 2.3 million barrels oil equivalent per day. More than marches closer toward the November presidential elec- 345,000 men and women employed by dozens of opera- tion. In early August, Vice President Joe Biden announced tors and producers and thousands of suppliers, service

Senator Kamala Harris as his running mate. As the Biden- companies, specialists and other expert businesses worked

Harris ticket works out their policy platforms, they should in concert safely producing homegrown American energy. move beyond past comments attacking American offshore The economic impact of Gulf of Mexico oil and gas pro- oil and gas production. In fact, a strong American offshore duction stretches beyond the Gulf Coast, too. From buoy oil and gas industry is a platform every candidate should specialists in Maine to personal protective equipment man- stand behind. ufacturers in Minnesota to software companies in Florida

Between New Orleans and Houston, Interstate 10 winds to automation experts in Connecticut, every state has jobs through bayous, rivers, woodlands and plains. Thousands and economic investments dependent on Gulf Coast en- of companies and hundreds of thousands of people that ergy production. The U.S. offshore industry had a more call this area home are linked by a mutual mission: safely than $28.6 billion impact on U.S. GDP last year. producing American offshore energy. Gulf of Mexico oil and gas production not only drives © scandamerican / Adobe Stock

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