Independence is a necessity
Opinion Article from The Washington Times:
The headlines coming out of the Middle East are stark reminders of something many in the energy industry have long understood: Global stability is inseparable from energy stability.
The world is watching the unfolding of a crisis that has already disrupted oil and liquefied natural gas supply chains at a historic scale.
I write this as a co-founder of SandPro, headquartered in North Dakota, one of the most important oil-producing regions in the United States. The Bakken has shown what domestic production can achieve, not just for local communities but also for national resilience.
My perspective is also shaped by my upbringing in Ohio, a state deeply tied to natural gas development and industrial strength. Together, these two states represent the foundation of American energy: oil and natural gas working in tandem to power the country.
The importance of oil and gas to state and national economies cannot be overstated. These industries generate well-paying jobs, fund schools and infrastructure through tax revenue, and provide the reliable, affordable energy that underpins nearly every sector, including manufacturing and agriculture.
On a national level, energy independence is not just an economic advantage. It is also a strategic necessity. In moments such as this, when geopolitical instability threatens global supply, the strength of domestic production becomes the difference between resilience and vulnerability.
The conflict with Iran illustrates that point clearly. Iranian strikes have damaged major energy facilities across the Persian Gulf, disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of global oil flows, and driven prices sharply higher.
Yet even amid this disruption, American oil production and LNG exports have stepped in to stabilize markets and supply allies, partially offsetting the loss of Middle Eastern output. That is no accident; it’s the result of decades of investment in domestic energy that has turned America into the world’s leading producer of oil and natural gas.
Critical to this system is infrastructure, particularly pipelines. In North Dakota, Ohio and across the country, pipelines move energy safely, efficiently and at the lowest cost. They are the backbone of our energy network, ensuring that production can reach markets without bottlenecks or excessive transportation costs.
If this crisis teaches us anything, it is that we should be doing more: more to promote domestic production, build infrastructure and ensure that projects are not delayed or derailed by excessive permitting hurdles, regulatory overreach or targeted taxation.
We must also be willing to stand firm against efforts to halt critical infrastructure through disruptive protests, such as those against the Dakota Access Pipeline.
Energy is not a partisan issue. It is an economic and national security imperative. In a world where instability can erupt overnight, as we are seeing with Iran, the United States must remain the world’s leading energy producer.
Read the article on The Washington Times here.
