Article
Deborah Gordon, Stephen D. Ziman
{
"authors": [
"Deborah Gordon"
],
"type": "testimony",
"centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "ctw",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "SCP",
"programs": [
"Sustainability, Climate, and Geopolitics"
],
"projects": [
"Carnegie Oil Initiative"
],
"regions": [
"United States",
"North America"
],
"topics": [
"Economy",
"Climate Change"
]
}
Source: Getty
Testimony
Shaping U.S. Energy Policy For an Era of Energy Abundance
Oils are changing. A more complex array of hydrocarbon resources is replacing conventional oils. The truth is that precious little is known about these new resources.
Published on Dec 11, 2014
Source: House Committee on Energy and Commerce, Energy and Power Subcommittee
Subcommittee Chairman Whitfield, Ranking Member Rush, distinguished members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today to examine the Energy Policy Conservation Act of 1975 in an era of energy transition.
I am the director of the Energy and Climate program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a non-partisan think tank. I began my career with Chevron as a chemical engineer and then spent over two decades researching transport energy policy at Yale University, the Union of Concerned Scientists, and for a wide array of non-profit, public, and private sector clients. I have authored several books and numerous reports on transportation, oil, and climate policymaking.In my remarks today, I will make three key points: the need to understand the changing conditions influencing today’s crude oil market; the need for better information about the chemical characteristics, quality, and operational specifications of U.S. oils; and the need to deal with the environmental consequences from an unconditional lifting of the oil export ban.
The bottom line is that oils are changing. A more complex array of hydrocarbon resources is replacing conventional oils. The truth is that precious little is known about these new resources. The nation needs reliable, consistent, detailed, open-source data about the composition and operational elements of U.S. oils. Significant information gaps have accompanied the nation’s increase in oil production, impeding sound decision making. Public and private stakeholders need to fully understand the environmental impacts inherent to different oils. The best way to position America for success in an era of energy abundance is to generate the information necessary to make wise decisions among the many oil options. Without this information, the debate over lifting the ban on U.S. crude oil exports is taking place in a context in which policymakers are essentially operating blindly.
The Energy Policy Conservation Act of 1975 (EPCA) can serve as a template for addressing some of the shortcomings that exist today as America struggles to manage the economic, geopolitical, and climate impacts of its new bounty of oils.
See our infographic on how global oils are becoming increasingly complex.
See some examples of oil data that is not consistently or publicly available.
About the Author
Deborah Gordon
Former Director and Senior Fellow, Energy and Climate Program
Gordon was director of Carnegie’s Energy and Climate Program, where her research focuses on oil and climate change issues in North America and globally.
- Petroleum Companies Need a Credible Climate Plan
- Advancing Public Climate Engineering DisclosureArticle
Deborah Gordon, Smriti Kumble, David Livingston
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie Europe
- Taking the Pulse: Is France’s New Nuclear Doctrine Ambitious Enough?Commentary
French President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled his country’s new nuclear doctrine. Are the changes he has made enough to reassure France’s European partners in the current geopolitical context?
Rym Momtaz, ed.
- The Iran War’s Dangerous Fallout for EuropeCommentary
The drone strike on the British air base in Akrotiri brings Europe’s proximity to the conflict in Iran into sharp relief. In the fog of war, old tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean risk being reignited, and regional stakeholders must avoid escalation.
Marc Pierini
- The EU Needs a Third Way in IranCommentary
European reactions to the war in Iran have lost sight of wider political dynamics. The EU must position itself for the next phase of the crisis without giving up on its principles.
Richard Youngs
- Resetting Cyber Relations with the United StatesArticle
For years, the United States anchored global cyber diplomacy. As Washington rethinks its leadership role, the launch of the UN’s Cyber Global Mechanism may test how allies adjust their engagement.
Patryk Pawlak, Chris Painter
- Europe on Iran: Gone with the WindCommentary
Europe’s reaction to the war in Iran has been disunited and meek, a far cry from its previously leading role in diplomacy with Tehran. To avoid being condemned to the sidelines while escalation continues, Brussels needs to stand up for international law.
Pierre Vimont
