During the week of March 19 to 23, President Obama and his team provided details of his administration's All-of-the-above strategy for developing American energy. In a press statement released on March 21, 2012 by the White House, President Obama highlighted his Administration’s resolve to continue to use oil and gas for energy production while at the same time developing other, new, clean and innovative American locally available energy resources. Obama's administration, in addition to using oil and gas, will continue to develop biofuels, energy efficient cars, solar energy, wind energy and ocean energy.

On March 22 & 23, the president visited a couple of states (Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio) giving speeches on his administration's all-of-the-above energy strategy. President Obama explained that oil and gas exploration and production will continue on thousands of acres of federal lands (on shore) and waters (off-shore) all over country. Support will also be giving to developers of new technologies that will compliment the oil an gas industry in providing energy for the country. The president stated that reliance on drilling only will not make America energy-independent because, America consumes 20% of the world energy production, whereas, she has only 2% of the world's oil reserve. If America drills every square inch of land in the country, her oil needs will still not be met. Other alternative energy sources must be harnessed o reduce American's dependency on foreign oil.

President Obama stated that during his administration, American importation of foreign oil has reduced by 1 million barrels per day due to wise choices and policies he has adopted since he got to power.

President Obama also explained that drilling and more drilling will not bring the cost of oil down, as his political opponents are making the country to believe. Cost is driven by global market forces. He stated that "Oil is bought and sold in a world market, and the biggest thing that’s causing the price of oil to rise right now is instability in the Middle East. And over the long-term, the biggest reason oil prices will rise is growing demand in countries like China, India, and Brazil". Happenings in oil producing states (Iraq, Iran etc) and the rapidly developing countries (India, China, Brazil) will influence the prices at the pump, even if America drills out all its oil.

President also explained the delay on the approval of the Keystone pipeline - a pipeline proposed to be built from Alberta to Texas. He said contrary to the information being passed around by the opposition candidates, the Keystone pipeline was not utterly rejected. The route of the pipeline from Alberta, Canada to Texas passes through the water supply sections of some part of Nebraska. That section also produce the water for crop irrigation. The these reasons, the people of Nebraska, including their governor protested the orientation of the pipeline. The president's legal team/experts advised to have more time to revise the documents. The southern section (the southern Keystone XL Leg from Cushing to Gulf, of the project is being developed. This section is tagged Gulf Coast project. It is believed that this section will not require a special presidential permit. President Obama indicated that the North segment of the Keystone pipeline project could be approved in future if all regulatory requirements are met.

In Nevada, the Boulder City, President Obama visited the Copper Mountain Solar 1 Facility, the largest photovoltaic plant operating in the country with nearly one million solar panels powering 17,000 homes. In New Mexico, Obama visited the oil and gas production fields located on federal lands outside of Maljamar, New Mexico, an area home to more than seventy active drilling rigs. While in Maljamar, the President highlighted the Administration’s commitment to expanding domestic oil and gas production, which has increased each year he has been in office, with domestic oil production currently at an eight year high and domestic natural gas production at an all-time high.

Sources of Information:

Obama Administration's commitment to American Made Energy

 FACT-SHEET Obama Administration's All-of-the-above approach to American Energy