Energy Secretary Chris Wright urges expanded U.S. natural gas production, LNG exports and pipelines

Secretary Chris Wright, the United States Secretary of Energy, told attendees at an event (date and location not specified in the transcript) that the administration supports expanding U.S. natural gas production, building more liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities and increasing pipeline capacity to regions such as New England.

Wright opened by relaying ‘‘a message from President Trump’’ and thanking industry workers. He framed the address as both a defense of the oil and gas industry and a broader argument about energy’s role in prosperity and security. "You and what you do every day is transforming the economy and the security of our country," he said, attributing the remark to the president.

The secretary repeatedly characterized oil and natural gas as central to U.S. and global energy. He said 75% of total U.S. energy consumption comes from "two things, oil and natural gas," and added that including coal and hydro brings the figure above 90% (Wright presented these numbers in his remarks; they are reported here as his claims). He also said natural gas is "the biggest source of our electricity" and a primary input for fertilizer production, arguing that ending a key industrial use of natural gas would sharply reduce food production.

Wright credited the U.S. shale revolution with a large boost in production despite a long-term fall in active drilling rigs. He said the United States is "today the world's largest exporter of natural gas" and forecast further growth in exports over the next decade. He urged continued investment in LNG and said the nation has the "reserves, the technology, the capital" and workers to expand capacity.

Turning to regional infrastructure, Wright said New England faces high energy prices because "politicians stood in the way and blocked a pipeline to bring more natural gas to New England." He said U.S. leaders and six New England governors have discussed the region's need for more natural gas and pipelines.

Wright also criticized some climate policy debates and cited global spending on wind, solar and batteries, calling the spending large while arguing that those sources still represent a small share of U.S. energy (as presented in his remarks). He said renewables' manufacturing depends on materials and processes that use oil, gas and coal.

The remarks included several emphatic lines that framed Wright's view of energy policy: "I don't care where it comes from. It just as long as it makes our lives better and makes our nation more secure," and later, "I wake up every morning and say, god bless oil, natural gas, and coal, and god bless the people who make it happen." The transcript does not record a new rule, regulation, or vote; Wright's statements are policy advocacy and claims made during a public address.

The transcript does not specify the event name, location or date, and it does not record any formal policy announcements or a question-and-answer session. Several numerical figures and factual assertions reported here are those Wright offered in his speech and have not been independently verified in the transcript.