Guest Post Submitted by Liz Bowman, Vice President of Communications at AXPC
Last week, the team from the American Exploration and Production Council (AXPC) traveled to Northeastern Pennsylvania to learn more about both the operational side of the oil and natural gas industry, as well as how the Shale revolution in this area improved the lives of people in communities across the state.
AXPC is a national trade association in Washington, DC, that represents the largest independent oil and natural gas producers in the United States, including many that operate in Pennsylvania. From communications to lobbying to regulatory affairs, AXPC works with policy leaders across the aisle to reduce emissions to address climate change, protect groundwater, promote natural gas for electricity, and support new markets for oil and gas around the world. They also fight against policies that are bad for the industry and its workers, like fracking bans or blocking the pipelines that carry oil and gas from the well to American families and businesses.
Their visit included visiting all aspects of natural gas production – including freshwater withdrawals, a drilling site, production facilities, and the completions process. Throughout each stage of the operations, AXPC staff learned about the work that Cabot workers and contractors do to protect and conserve resources, promote learning and teamwork among employees, work with local and state regulatory agencies, and minimize environmental effects or even improve the local environment. At each location, AXPC spent time talking with Cabot workers about their roles, their experiences working for Cabot and their commitment to the industry.
Learning each step of the production process is helpful to AXPC’s efforts to understand operations and advocate for oil and gas workers in Washington. Equally as important is their understanding of how the industry supports local communities by providing education and career paths, local jobs for people to stay in their communities, and economic growth and vitality for the region. For example, AXPC visited Lackawanna College’s School of Petroleum and Natural Gas to learn about their partnership with Cabot to provide hands-on training for jobs within the oil and gas industry.
They also participated in a roundtable discussion at the Wyoming County Chamber of Commerce to hear about how natural gas supports entrepreneurs and their growing businesses such as the Endless Mountains Visitors Bureau and the United Way. Other topics they covered included low-cost electricity for manufacturing paper products that are sold around the world, and arts and cultural centers like the Dietrich. This visit afforded AXPC the opportunity to better understand how oil and gas can make a positive impact on communities and why it’s critical for them to continue advocating for the industry.
For pictures of their trip and to learn more about AXPC, please visit them on Twitter (@AXPC_US), Instagram (AXPC_American_Energy), or LinkedIn/Facebook (American Exploration & Production Council).
