Louisiana is poised to play an increasingly critical role in the nation’s energy sector following recent actions taken by President Donald Trump’s administration.
That’s according to Dustin Meyer, senior vice president of policy, economics and regulatory affairs for the American Petroleum Institute, who spoke about the nation’s energy outlook at the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry’s Annual Meeting on Wednesday.
Of particular significance to Louisiana is Trump’s repeal of former President Joe Biden’s liquefied natural gas permitting pause, Meyer said, as Louisiana is one of the nation’s leading exporters of LNG.
Just last week, an LNG export license was granted to the Commonwealth LNG project proposed for Cameron Parish—the first such license issued in over a year.
“The opportunity here is particularly enormous,” Meyer said. “The resource base in the Gulf of America is massive. It’s exactly the kind of area that the Trump administration views as so important—not just for the next four or eight years but decades out—in terms of maintaining American energy dominance.”
Of the 40 executive orders issued by Trump on his first day in office, seven directly addressed energy policy.
“This administration understands energy realities,” Meyer said. “Oil and gas demand is not declining anywhere in the world. In fact, it’s increasing. If the demand is going to be there, where should the supply come from? The belief is that it should come from the United States.”
Beyond executive orders, Meyer pointed to congressional action as a key policy lever. He expects Republicans to use the budget reconciliation process to pass a broad package that could mandate offshore lease sales in the Gulf, among other reforms.
“A clear plan for congressionally mandated offshore lease sales is going to send a strong signal … that this area is open for business,” Meyer said.
While these actions have the potential to drive significant new investment in and around Louisiana, Meyer was quick to acknowledge the uncertainty and volatility that has become a hallmark of the current political climate. Even so, he expressed confidence in the Trump administration’s strategy.
“It’s going to be a little bumpy, especially when it comes to trade negotiations,” Meyer said. “But I think there’s a lot of promise ahead.”
