A new poll conducted by Harris Interactive shows that more than two-thirds of Americans, 68 percent to be exact, support offshore drilling here in the US. The poll, taken by Harris for the American Petroleum Institute (API), also shows that most voters would vote for a political candidate who also supports offshore drilling in the US.

The survey polled more than 1000 registered voters as the Obama Administration right now is considering opening up new waters for such drilling. A large percentage of those polled say they do not believe the federal government is doing enough to back the oil industry in its quest to increase offshore production.

New drilling means new jobs

Oil industry organizations like the API have been pushing Washington to open up more leases in the Pacific, the Atlantic, and the Gulf of Mexico. They say increased drilling in these regions would not only help steer America towards energy independence, it would add thousands of new jobs.

Not only would it mean more jobs and more tax revenue, it would help decrease tensions around the world by stabilizing the world oil market. higher production from stable economies means less volatility in the world energy markets and enhances not just national but global security.

The study shows that in the Atlantic Ocean alone, new offshore drilling could create as many as 280,000 new jobs. Such productivity could pump as much as $51 billion into government coffers. Such revenue is much needed, especially these days.

Political opposition lessening

Political opposition to new drilling has been one of the greatest obstacles for decades. But now, with America well on its way to becoming the world's largest producer of oil and gas, that opposition seems to be wavering. While politics still makes new drilling a complicated issue, there is broad support for reducing regulations in Washington DC now, this according to API’s upstream director Erik Milit.

One example is the Obama Administration's decision to approve the use of air guns and sonic sensors in the search for oil and gas deposits. While many environmental groups oppose such a move, Milito contends that the industry has done a good job of protecting marine life in offshore research areas.

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