Oklahoma: A Story Through Her People

At one time during the early oil and gas booms, the
state provided as much as ten percent of the nation’s
petroleum production. Currently, the state ranks fourth in
the nation for production of natural gas and fifth in the
production of crude oil. The largest Oklahoma-based
companies are energy related.
Eight percent of America’s natural gas liquid reserves
are located in the state. Oklahoma is leading a coalition of
twenty-two states to combine purchasing power to drive
down the price of automobiles and trucks powered by
compressed natural gas (CNG). A Honda Civic powered
by CNG was driven 228 miles for $5.32. It was one of
the models added to the state automobile fleet. In her
State of the State message in 2013, Oklahoma Governor
Mary Fallin announced the delivery of hundreds of CNGpowered
state vehicles and speculated about the tremendous
savings to state taxpayers if eventually all such
vehicles were powered by natural gas produced from
beneath the surface of Oklahoma.
There is no doubt about the importance of the oil and
gas industry to Oklahoma’s economy. One in six jobs in
the state is directly or indirectly supported by oil and gas.
Since 2009, oil and gas companies have added nearly
12,000 jobs, the average oil and gas worker makes more
than $113,000 per year, and annual operations from the
oil and natural gas industry generate $52 billion in goods
and services—one third of the state’s gross state product.
In addition, Oklahoma oil and gas producers pay nearly
$1 billion in gross production taxes each year.
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