Large majorities of Americans support ramping up natural gas production as a means of exporting more natural gas to Europe, according to polling from the nonpartisan Pew Research Center.
Pew’s nationwide survey conducted in early May indicate strong majorities across party lines, with 70% of Republicans and 55% of Democrats in favor of increasing natural gas exports to Europe. The results come as European nations look to sever ties to Russian-produced natural gas in the wake of the Ukrainian invasion.
In addition to favoring increased domestic production and export, support for offshore drilling and the use of hydraulic fracturing saw year-over-year gains, as well.
“The shares of Americans who support more offshore drilling and fracking are both up slightly from April of 2021 (by 5 and 4 percentage points, respectively),” Pew reports.
It’s the combination of hydraulic fracturing with horizontal drilling that’s unlocked America’s abundant natural gas and oil resources. In Pennsylvania, more than 95% of natural gas is produced using modern hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling techniques.
In fact, thanks to the shale revolution, the U.S. has remained the world’s top oil and natural gas producing country, giving America the ability to meet our energy needs at home, as well as help our allies abroad.
Despite widespread voter support for more production and export, however, regulatory uncertainty, permitting delays and extreme environmental activism have blocked or halted vitally important energy infrastructure and export projects. Supporting efforts to complete critical infrastructure projects like the Mountain Valley Pipeline, safely transporting LNG by rail, and approving new LNG export facilities are necessary measures to increase production and enhance our nation’s energy security.
