IN THE LATEST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE, OBAMA FUMBLED THE BASIC FACTS ON HIS RECORD FOR OIL AND NATURAL GAS

Last Night, Obama Touted The Highest Levels Of Energy Production From Oil And Gas In Years. OBAMA: “The most important thing we can do is to make sure we control our own energy. Here is what I have done since I was president, we have increased oil production to the highest levels in 16 years. Natural gas production is the highest it has been in decades.” (President Barack Obama, Presidential Debate, Hempstead, N.Y., 10/16/12)

• Later In The Debate, Obama Followed Up Claiming “We’re Actually Drilling More On Public Lands.” OBAMA: “We’ve opened up public lands. We’re actually drilling more on public lands than in the previous administration. And my — the previous president was an oilman. And natural gas isn’t just appearing magically; we’re encouraging it and working with the industry.” (President Barack Obama, Presidential Debate, Hempstead, N.Y., 10/16/12)

Contrary To Obama’s Assertions, “Production Of Oil On Public Land Is Down 14 Percent And Production Of Gas On Public Land Is Down 9 Percent.” “Is Gov. Mitt Romney telling the truth when he says oil and gas production is down on public land? Contrary to President Obama’s assertions, Romney’s telling the truth when he says, ‘Production of oil on public land is down 14 percent and production of gas on public land is down 9 percent.’ That’s because energy production on federal lands is down compared to 2010, according to the Energy Information Administration.” (Juliet Eilperin, “The Truth About Oil And Gas Production On Public Land,” The Washington Post’s Fact Check, 10/16/12)

• The Number Of Federal Issued Drilling Permits Under The Obama Administration Is Lower Than The Historical Average. “In early 2010, he proposed to open some new areas to drilling but shut that down after the Gulf oil spill. According to the Greater New Orleans Gulf Permits Index for January 31, over the previous three months the feds issued an average of three deep-water drilling permits a month compared to the historical average of seven. Over the same three months, the feds approved an average of 4.7 shallow-water permits a month, compared to the historical average of 14.7.” (Editorial, “‘Stupid’ And Oil Prices,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/27/12)

• In Fiscal Year 2007, There Were 7,124 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/16/12)

• In Fiscal Year 2008, There Were 6,617 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/16/12)

• In Fiscal Year 2009, There Were 4,487 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/16/12)

• In Fiscal Year 2010, There Were 4,090 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/16/12)

• In Fiscal Year 2011, There Were 4,244 Approved Drilling Permits On Federal Lands. (Number Of APDs Approved By Year On Federal Lands, U.S. Bureau Of Land Management, Accessed 10/16/12)

Obama Also Claimed “Our Oil Imports Are Down To The Lowest Levels In 20 Years.” OBAMA: “Same thing with oil; same thing with natural gas. And the proof is our oil imports are down to the lowest levels in 20 years, oil production is up, natural gas production is up, and most importantly, we’re also starting to build cars that are more efficient.” (President Barack Obama, Presidential Debate, Hempstead, N.Y., 10/16/12)

• “20 Years Ago The Gap Between Domestic Oil Production And Imports Was Less Than It Is Today.” “That’s true if you include all energy sources. As Brad has noted, natural gas production and domestic oil production are booming so the US is getting very close to energy independence in coming decades. But if you look at just oil, the case is trickier. The US has definitely made strides under Obama, but 20 years ago the gap between domestic oil production and imports was less than it is today.” (Suzy Khimm, Sarah Kliff, And Dylan Matthews, “Fact-Checking Obama’s Speech,” The Washington Post, 9/7/12)

• The Obama Campaign Is Using A 2008 Baseline For Reduction In Imports, Allowing Him To Claim Credit For Leasing And Production Decisions Made By The Bush Administration. “As for cutting ‘oil imports in half by 2020′, the Associated Press points out that an Obama campaign document says that the president is using 2008 as a baseline for the reduction in imports, allowing him to claim credit for several years of declining demand for fuel because of the recession and leasing and production decisions made by President George W. Bush’s administration.” (Leigh Ann Caldwell, Lindsey Boerma, Stephanie Condon, Lucy Madison, Paula Reid, Brian Montopoli, and Steve Chaggaris, “Fact-Checking Obama, Biden Convention Speeches,” CBS News, 9/7/12)

• A Decrease In Dependence On Foreign Oil Is “Not Tethered To Anything Obama Has Done” And Is Due To Factors “Before Obama Took Office.” “The Obama ad that quickly slips in claims that slickly appear to be the result of Obama’s policies, though the ad does not directly make that claim-a reference to 2.7 million clean-energy jobs, a note that for the first time in 13 years foreign oil imports are below 50 percent. Those figures are correct, but they are also not tethered to anything Obama has done. The report that mentioned the 2.7 million jobs simply said that is how many potentially exist. Meanwhile, the Energy Department cited a host of reasons why foreign oil imports have declined, noting the main reason was ‘a significant contraction in consumption’ because of the poor economy and changes in efficiency that began ‘two years before the 2008 crisis’-ie, before Obama took office.” (Glenn Kessler, “Obama Ad Cherry-Picks Fact Checking Organization,” The Washington Post’s The Fact Checker, 1/19/12)

• Much Of The Increased Oil Production Is On State And Private Lands Not Controlled By The Federal Government. “According to EIA, the production of tight oil has tripled in the past three years to about 900 thousand barrels per day as of November 2011, largely in North Dakota, Texas and Montana, but much of the production is on state and private lands and not land controlled by the federal government.” (Leigh Ann Caldwell, “Face The Facts: A Fact Check On Gas Prices,” CBS News, 3/21/12)