ENERGY SECURITYUnder Both Trump and Biden-Harris, U.S. Oil and Gas Production Surged to Record Highs, Despite Very Different Energy Goals
Under each of the three most recent presidencies, Republican and Democratic alike, U.S. oil and gas production was higher at the end of the administration’s term than at the beginning. Presidents’ actions can matter for the industry’s future, but the major factors in U.S. oil and gas production so far have been increased production efficiency, increased global demand and the lower cost of natural gas compared with coal.
The United States is producing more oil and natural gas today than ever before, and far more than any other country. So, what roles did the Trump-Pence and Biden-Harris administrations play in this surge?
The answer might surprise you, given the way each has talked publicly about fossil fuels: former President Donald Trump embracing them, and President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris focusing on reducing fossil fuel use to fight climate change.
Under each of the three most recent presidencies, Republican and Democratic alike, U.S. oil and gas production was higher at the end of the administration’s term than at the beginning.
That production has both pros and cons. Together, oil and gas account for nearly three-quarters of U.S. energy consumption. Producing oil and gas in the U.S. provides energy security, and high production generally keeps prices down. Burning oil and gas, however, releases carbon dioxide into the air, contributing to climate change. And natural gas is mostly methane – another potent greenhouse gas.
As a scholar who works on both energy and public policy, I follow the federal government’s actions involving oil, gas and coal. With Trump and Harris facing off in the November presidential election, let’s take a look at how each influenced fossil fuel production and emissions.
Boosting and Restricting Oil and Gas Drilling
Both the Trump-Pence administration and the Biden-Harris administration took actions that supported additional oil and gas drilling. Both also took actions that restricted additional oil and gas drilling.
Trump has been aggressively pro-fossil fuels in his rhetoric and actions, dating back to his first run for office. Under his administration, the federal government leased more land for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and in the Utah wilderness.
To further help the industry, Trump urged agencies to waive environmental reviews and loosen regulations in ways that could speed up permits for pipeline construction and other energy infrastructure.
The Trump administration also opened more U.S. coastal waters for oil and gas leasing, but Trump later rolled this back, banning coastal drilling for 10 years in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coasts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. At the time, opposition to drilling in those states threatened several Republican candidates’ 2020 election bids.
