More than 40 Energy Workforce & Technology Council members joined U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright and energy leaders in Midland this week for the Great American Energy Comeback Tour, highlighting the people, technology and innovation driving American energy production.
Energy Workforce was proud to partner with the Permian Strategic Partnership and other trade associations to host the event. Presidents Molly Determan and Tim Tarpley joined members from across the energy services sector for the event, and Energy Workforce participated in a CEO roundtable with Secretary Wright to bring the sector’s perspective into discussions about the opportunities and challenges shaping American energy.
Permian Strategic Partnership President and CEO Tracee Bentley, American Petroleum Institute President and CEO Mike Sommers, and Congressman August Pfluger welcomed attendees before Secretary Wright delivered keynote remarks.
Pfluger focused his remarks on the people behind the Permian Basin’s success and the broader impact their work has on the country and the world.
“We’ve got the resources, we have the technology, and most importantly, the people of the Permian Basin are making this story better and better every single day,” Pfluger said. “So when Washington talks about America’s energy future, my number one goal, serving you in Congress, is to make sure that they remember one thing: the future starts right here.”
Secretary Wright carried that focus on the workforce into his remarks, opening with three messages for the people of the Permian Basin: “Thank you, thank you and thank you.”
Wright credited the people and companies responsible for producing American energy with strengthening U.S. energy security, creating opportunities for American families and providing reliable energy to allies around the world. He pointed to conversations with leaders in Europe, Asia and Africa who increasingly look to the United States as a dependable energy supplier.
“The answer, because of you, because of the people in this room, I can always confidently say yes. We will be there,” Wright said.
Wright also highlighted the extraordinary growth of American oil and natural gas production and the Permian Basin’s role in that transformation. He noted that the region produced less than 2 million barrels of oil per day when President Trump first took office a decade ago, compared with more than 6.5 million barrels per day today. Natural gas production in the region, he said, has increased sevenfold during the same period.
That growth is part of a much larger shift in America’s position in global energy markets. Wright noted that 20 years ago, the United States was the world’s largest importer of both oil and natural gas. Today, the United States is the world’s largest producer of both, with oil, refined petroleum products and natural gas among the nation’s largest exports.
Throughout his remarks, Wright connected abundant, affordable and reliable energy with economic growth, national security and the opportunity to bring more manufacturing and industrial investment back to the United States.
For Energy Workforce members, the Midland event provided an important opportunity to engage in those conversations as federal policymakers consider the policies and investments that will shape the next chapter of American energy development.
While the Permian Basin provided the backdrop for the event, Energy Workforce members are driving that work in energy-producing regions across the country and around the world. From the technologies deployed in the field to the workforce that makes production possible, the energy services sector is fundamental to ensuring America’s energy resources are turned into reliable, affordable energy.
With more than 40 members participating in Midland, EWTC ensured that the energy services perspective was well represented throughout the Great American Energy Comeback Tour and in the conversations shaping the future of American energy.
Participating EWTC Member Companies:
Caterpillar, H&P, Berkley Oil & Gas, Halliburton, Merit Advisors, National Service Alliance, Solaris Energy Infrastructure, Stewart Precision, Equipt.ai, UTEX Industries, Milestone Environmental, Deloitte, Weatherford, SLB, NOV, Mustang Cat, Flowco, Diamondback Energy
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