What America is Thinking on Energy Issues - Poll: 75 percent of North Carolina Voters Support Increased Access to Domestic Oil and Natural Gas Resources, Including Energy From Shale

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Mar 20, 2012, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Seventy-five percent of North Carolina voters favor more development of U.S. oil and natural gas resources, and more than ninety percent believe more oil and natural gas development would provide major benefits to the nation, including more U.S. jobs, according to a new poll released today by Public Opinion Strategies and Frederick Polls.

"Voters in North Carolina know developing more of America's domestic energy would lead to more jobs, increased government revenues, and help put downward pressure on fuel prices," said North Carolina Petroleum Council Executive Director Bill Weatherspoon. "North Carolina has the chance to get it right and use the most advanced hydraulic fracturing technologies to safely and responsibly develop energy from shale."

The telephone poll of 600 likely North Carolina voters found that large majorities agree that more U.S. oil and natural gas development could lead to more American jobs (92 percent), help reduce consumer energy costs (82 percent), deliver more revenue to the government (73 percent), and increase the nation's energy security (86 percent). Fifty-two percent support hydraulic fracturing to access domestic resources and believe the process is safe, creates jobs and helps America meet its energy needs by keeping energy costs low. Seventy-two percent also support exploration and drilling off the coast of North Carolina to access oil and natural gas.

The United States has one of the largest reserves of oil and natural gas in the world largely due to technological advances in offshore development and in the development of shale through hydraulic fracturing.

"We can't keep tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve or ask Saudi Arabia to bail us out when prices rise," said Weatherspoon. "North Carolina is uniquely positioned to add jobs and gain revenues from both onshore and offshore production and this poll demonstrates that voters in this state favor the development to the benefit of our nation."

The North Carolina Petroleum Council is a division of API, which represents more than 500 oil and natural gas companies, leaders of a technology-driven industry that supplies most of America's energy, supports 9.2 million U.S. jobs and 7.7 percent of the U.S. economy, delivers more than $86 million a day in revenue to our government, and, since 2000, has invested more than $2 trillion in U.S. capital projects to advance all forms of energy, including alternatives.

Methodology

The study was conducted March 12-14, 2012, by telephone on behalf of the American Petroleum Institute among 600 likely voters in North Carolina, with a margin of error of +/- 4.0%. A full methodology is available upon request.

"What America is Thinking on Energy Issues" is a public opinion series provided by API, offering data to inform policy discussions and ensure policymakers and others know Americans' perspectives on key energy issues.

SOURCE American Petroleum Institute