Measure the impact of oil and gas in your community

The Western Energy Alliance has put together a fascinating website that allows users to find out basic information about the impact of the oil and gas industries in their area whether that be congressional district or by county.

So, users can find for example that in San Juan County (which is located firmly in the oil/gas patch, the industry employs 3,656 workers directly in drilling and production with more than $288 million paid in wages in just those areas. When factoring in suppliers and other direct impacts of the industry, total jobs come to 4,618 with $348 million in wages paid.

Bernalillo County, on the other hand, is located outside of the oil/gas patch, but still has 86 jobs in drilling and production. Where Bernalillo County really benefits is in the follow-on impacts which came to 5,466 jobs and $260 million.

Fascinating stuff, available for every county and congressional district in the nation. New Mexico’s economy rests on two pillars: the extractive industries which are led by oil and gas and the federal government. Oil and gas are undergoing a technology-driven, transformative boom while the federal government tends to destroy wealth through taxation and regulation. I know which one I’d prefer to have here in the Land of Enchantment!