“We will do everything we can to make sure that the market is supplied well enough to ensure as low price as possible for American consumers,” Hochstein told the newspaper. “I think that we have enough in the SPR if it’s necessary.” ~Amos Hochstein, Special Presidential Coordinator for Global Infrastructure and Energy Security.
Maybe they should remove “Energy Security” from his impressive title since that seems to be a low priority.
Apparently it’s fine (and environmentally friendly) to deplete strategic oil reserves to reduce prices prior to an election, but not to hold regular oil and gas lease sales in the adjacent Gulf of Mexico. 2024 will be the first year without an OCS lease sale since 1958, and the Administration bragged about the new 5 year leasing plan having the fewest proposed sales in history!
5 Year Leasing Plan Announcement:
“Consistent with the requirements of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) concerning offshore conventional and renewable energy leasing, the Department of the Interior today published the final 2024–2029 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (Program) with the fewest oil and gas lease sales in history.
These three lease sales are the minimum number that will enable the Interior Department’s offshore wind energy program to continue issuing leases in a way that will ensure continued progress towards the Administration’s goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.”
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 