(The Center Square) – As children head back to school and college students begin a new semester, their studies wouldn’t be possible without the oil and natural gas industry, those in the industry point out.
For Texas students, this is especially significant since the state leads the U.S. in energy production.
Energy in Depth, the research program of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, posted information on social media to educate students about “petroleum and you,” and how fossil fuel is used in nearly every aspect of a student’s life.
“From calculators to crayons, oil and gas supplies students with the necessary tools for success,” it says.
From calculators to crayons, #oilandgas supplies students with the necessary tools for success. 🎒✏️ pic.twitter.com/vZkpJfqkze— Energy In Depth (@EnergyInDepth) August 14, 2023
According to the U.S. Energy Information Agency, products derived from petroleum include transportation fuels, fuel oils for heating and electricity generation, asphalt and road oil, and components for making the chemicals, plastics, and synthetic materials that are used in nearly all products on the market.
To put this in perspective, one 42-gallon barrel of oil creates 19.4 gallons of gasoline. The remainder is used to make more than 6,000 products ranging from electronics to luggage to office supplies and computer chips.
At a recent oil and natural gas event in San Antonio, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz emphasized how vital the industry is to Texas, the U.S. and the world.
“The United States is the number one producer of oil on the face of the planet,” Cruz said. “The United States is the number one producer of natural gas on the face of the planet. The United States is driving the greatest reductions in environmental pollution on the face of the planet. Low-cost energy is producing prosperity throughout America and across the globe. What y’all are doing is powerful, but we gotta tell that story.”
Cruz recalled a conversation he said he overheard his daughters having with their friends about the oil industry. He said about “five, six years ago we were at the beach” and his daughters “were with two other girls … playing” and he overheard them talking about oil.” They said, “‘oh, oil is bad.’ And all four of them, ‘oil is terrible,’” he said.
His daughters attend school in Houston, where “every damn brick in the school they go to was built by oil and gas.”
“That’s what they’re learning in Houston. What do you think they’re learning in Manhattan? We’ve gotta defend against this assault and defend with substance and common sense and humor and reality.”
Critics say burning fossil fuels is the driving force behind climate change.
But the Texas Oil & Gas Association also shared information to educate students about the benefits of petroleum.
“As we enter back-to-school season, American Energy continues to support young minds in their educational journey,” it said. “From enhancing classroom experiences to sustainable initiatives that promote a brighter future, U.S. Energy contributes to the education of our future leaders.”
School buses are powered by American energy, it notes; so are school meals, cooked with appliances powered by natural gas.
During recess, children play on slides and swings made from petroleum products.
As we enter back-to-school season, American Energy continues to support young minds in their educational journey. From enhancing classroom experiences to sustainable initiatives that promote a brighter future, US Energy contributes to the education of our future leaders. pic.twitter.com/CnX3GAaX0j— Texas Oil & Gas Association (@TXOGA) August 15, 2023
But it’s not just the products that students use or benefit from that make the industry invaluable to their lives, TXOGA says. The Texas oil and natural gas industry paid a record $24.7 billion in state and local taxes and state royalties in fiscal 2022, by far the highest total in Texas history. And this money goes directly to fund public education.
The $24.7 billion translates to the industry paying roughly $67 million every day in taxes, which fund the Economic Stabilization Fund (the state’s Rainy Day Fund), the Permanent School Fund (PSF) and the Permanent University Fund (PUF).
In 2022, 99% of the state’s oil and natural gas royalties were deposited into the PSF and the PUF, which support Texas public education. Each fund received $2.1 billion, more than double the amounts paid the previous year. The Rainy Day Fund received $1.5 billion from oil and natural gas production taxes.
In fiscal 2022, Texas school districts received $1.65 billion from property taxes paid from mineral properties, pipelines and gas utilities, with Midland ISD in West Texas receiving the most of $113.3 million.
Counties received $608.6 million from these taxes with Reeves County, two counties south of where Midland is located, receiving the most of $44.9 million.
Since 2007, the Texas oil and natural gas industry has paid over $203.4 billion in state and local taxes and state royalties, since TXOGA began compiling the data. The data “excludes the hundreds of billions of dollars in payroll for some of the highest paying jobs in the state,” TXOGA notes, as well as “taxes paid on office buildings and personal property, and the enormous economic ripple effect that benefits other sectors of the economy.”
