RTI International to host forum on the impact of shale oil and gas on the U.S. economy, environment and national security

WASHINGTON— Experts from RTI International and energy research organizations will explore the sudden growth of fracking in the United States and the impact of shale oil and gas on the U.S. economy, environment and national security at a policy forum at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Sept. 22. 

The forum, titled "Shale Oil and Gas: Impact on the Economy, Environment, and National Security," will discuss balancing the risks associated with natural gas extraction against its rewards of economic and national security. The event will be held from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the National Press Club Holeman Lounge. 

"New hydrocarbon resources in the US have created a manufacturing renaissance and have bolstered national security," said Vikram Rao, executive director of the Research Triangle Energy Consortium and consultant for RTI International. "However, sustainable production requires research, policy and public communication interventions."

Panelists will discuss the far-reaching impact of this rapidly growing industry, from the manufacturing renaissance shale gas has created to the influx of shale oil, which has led to the U.S. becoming the new swing producer in the global oil market. Panelists will also address the need for robust regulations in states drilling for shale gas and oil, and the scientific methods required to increase the public's understanding of energy-related issues. 

The panel includes:

• Vikram Rao, Ph.D.,  Executive Director, Research Triangle Energy Consortium and Consultant for RTI 
• Anne Korin, Co-director, Institute for the Analysis of Global Security and Senior Adviser, United States Energy Security Council
• Greg Dolan, Chief Executive Officer, Methanol Institute
• Brian Southwell, Ph.D., Director, Science in the Public Sphere Program, RTI and Faculty Member, Duke University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

The forum will be moderated by Rao who is the author of "Shale Oil and Gas: The Promise and the Peril, Revised and Updated Second Edition," which offers a comprehensive look at the rapidly changing field of oil and gas production brought on by the growth of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking." Opening remarks will be given by Aaron Williams, executive vice president of Government Relations and Corporate Communications at RTI. 

To attend the forum, please register here. More information about the event can be found here.