CHICAGO — The Democrats’ hostility towards the oil and gas industry has perhaps never been more intense, but that hasn’t stopped fossil fuel leaders from coming here to the Democratic National Convention.
Their presence this week for meetings, receptions and events highlights the extent to which the industry is determined to remain a part of the conversation even as progressive activists and Democratic lawmakers accuse oil and gas companies of price gouging and lying about their contribution to climate change. Three nights into the four-day convention, several speakers have derided “Big Oil” multiple times from the main stage.
Even so, industry leaders say there are reasons to feel empowered by Vice President Kamala Harris’ rise — and not just because the United States has actually seen an expansion of oil and gas production under President Joe Biden despite a barrage of actions to address greenhouse gas emissions and other pollution.
“Nominee Harris, her quick reversal on her previous stance that she didn’t support hydraulic fracturing is a testament to how important this industry is going to be going forward,” said Mike Sommers, president of the American Petroleum Institute, in an interview with POLITICO’s E&E News.
“I’ve joked that this is fracking primary: You can’t get elected president of the United States unless you are for the continued development and continued use of this technology, so if that wasn’t going to be a political problem, she wouldn’t have done it,” he continued. “So I think, as an industry, we look at that with optimism.”
Karen Harbert, president of the American Gas Association, agreed that Harris’ reversal on the anti-fracking position she held when she last ran for president in 2020 sent an important signal.
“I think you’re already seeing some changes in the vernacular coming out of the campaign. She was against fracking, and now that’s sort of off the table, right? ‘We’re going to be net zero by 2030 — oh no, it’s 2040,’” Harbert said of the shifting climate goalposts.
“They’re going to be held accountable if they’re elected, so you better be saying things that actually are achievable. And we’re coming to them saying, ‘We can help you do that, but at the same time, you can’t just try and put us out of business. That’s not good for us, and it’s not good for you.’”
Harbert appeared on a panel Wednesday morning convened by Punchbowl News alongside the heads of the American Clean Power Association, Nuclear Energy Institute and Edison Electric Institute, which is currently run by former Trump Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette.
It was followed by an interview between Punchbowl reporters with Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas) and a “fireside chat” with Vijay Swarup, Exxon Mobil’s senior director for climate strategy and technology. Exxon sponsored the portion of Punchbowl’s daylong programming in downtown…
Read More: Why the oil industry claims optimism at the Democratic convention
