Are We Rescuing Europe -- Or Just the U.S. Oil Industry?

Should we listen to Utah Rep. John Curtis?  "It is important to acknowledge American fossil fuels have a lower greenhouse gas emissions profile than our competitors, especially in China and Russia. If we stop producing fossil fuels these strategic competitors will fill that void for the developing world with dirtier alternatives."

Well, is he right?

Yes, natural gas sent to Europe from America is probably cleaner than that from China and Russia. And, we can wonder if gasoline for cars in Europe -- if it were refined here before reaching the pumps in Europe -- perhaps is cleaner. Then, again, doesn't Europe have standards just like the United States regulating the quality of gasoline sold at the pump?

With the sanctions imposed against Russia at the start of the Ukrainian war, Europe lost access to natural gas and oil from Russia. Spooky, it was, to think what would happen without the natural gas necessary to heat and air condition homes, or oil to power the cars. 

But, not to worry. America to the rescue.

Seeking to save the day, we ramped up natural gas exports in order to fill the void left by the loss of Russian natural gas. It would be interesting to know how much our exports to European nations increased after the sanctions. 

But, the bottom line is, more oil and gas production hurts the environment. Taking a better-us-than-you approach (with the thought that our gas is cleaner) becomes but an excuse for us to drill more and thus cause more environmental damage. I would much rather see our efforts to help Europe be centered on helping it make a jump from fossil fuels to green energy rather than just from one source of fossil fuels to another. 

And, when Curtis says, "It is important to acknowledge American fossil fuels have a lower greenhouse gas emissions profile than our competitors," how does that apply to what is consumed in the U.S.? We have discussed the oil and gas consumed in Europe, but what of that sold in the U.S.?  Is the oil produced in the U.S. any cleaner than that imported from other countries? I will only repeat what I have already said: I would doubt it, because the cleanliness of the gasoline is enforced on what is sold at the pump. Whether it comes out of the ground from the U.S., or from Russia, or from the United Arab Republic makes no difference; it has to be just as clean by the time it reaches the gas station pumps.

(Index -- Climate change info)