TAP Management | Austin, TX | 512-527-6000

TAP Management, headquartered in Austin, TX, has contributed to the increase of oil and gas production in the South Texas, Gulf Coast, Rocky Mountain and Mid-Continent regions. Since its founding in 2005, TAP Management Austin TX reviews oil and gas prospects in fields that meet the criteria of the company. By utilizing 3D seismic technology, forced pooling methods and purchasing existing productions, TAP Management has developed a successful portfolio of producing assets throughout these regions. We are dedicated to decreasing our nation’s dependence on foreign oil and gas, and improving the quality of life for Americans. www.texog.com 512.527.6000

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TAP Management Fraud Concerns from Facebook Graph Search

As digital innovations become more heavily ingrained in our society, securing the privacy of customers, employees and other proprietary information will become a more significant focus of companies like TAP Management. Fraud tactics stemming from social engineering and phishing activities pose a serious threat to both individuals and businesses. 

On Tuesday, Facebook introduced “Graph Search.” This innovative search technology will utilize the digital connections the social site has developed between its users, interests, places, etc.

According to a Facebook press release, “It makes finding new things much easier, but you can only see what you could already view elsewhere on Facebook.”

Graph Search will allow Facebook members to discover content based on criteria that’s been voluntarily shared by other users.

In other words, people will be able to use Graph Search to find content that others have published on the social network.

For example, you will soon be able to discover “restaurants in San Francisco my friends have visited,” or even “TV shows supporters of Ron Paul like.” This smart search feature will then lead users to more, serendipitous connections. 

As of now, the search tool is limited to people, photos, places and interests. It does not include events or posts enabled in search or many of the other gated Facebook content. Not yet at least.

This ABC video provides a more detailed explanation of how Graph Search works:

http://youtu.be/jrLG6ycgud4

Although Graph Search currently excludes users’ status updates, ultimately any content that is uploaded to the social network will be discoverable with the exception of limitations caused by privacy settings.

To help ensure Facebook users have adjusted their privacy settings to satisfy their preferences before anything unpleasant is revealed by Graph Search, Facebook has begun asking users to “review who can see your stuff” when they log-in.

While unveiling the new tool, CEO Mark Zuckerburg explained, “We realize that people are going to care what shows up about them in search.”

Although it is true users can adjust their own privacy settings to meet their needs, the relaxed privacy settings of their connections is a vulnerability issue to more concerned users.

For instance, if a friend uploads a picture of you at a bar, geo-tags it and sets it as public, it will be Graph Searchable to anyone looking for pictures from that bar.

If this occurs, users have the option to untag themselves, request the uploader of the photo remove it from Facebook, or change their privacy settings.

Mashable effectively outlines these privacy concerns and offers some best practices to cope with the new Graph Search tool in the following video:

http://youtu.be/bSji6Y66aKo

In addition to privacy concerns, Facebook users should be weary of devious members who will take of advantage of this wealth of knowledge for the purposes of fraud or social engineering.

The amount of GPS location data, photos and personal information that Facebook stores about users provides fraudsters and phishers with an enormous supply of information to scam unsuspecting users.

Therefore, TAP Management encourages Facebook users to educate themselves on the most common online fraud tactics, and to adjust their privacy settings to help ensure the protection of their data.  

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Eagle Ford Shale: A Texas Game-Changer

Although the Eagle Ford Shale play is still in its early stages of development, citizens of the counties surrounding the formation are benefiting from a significant boost in personal income.

According to the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis, counties with wells permitted or in production experienced an average increase of 13.62 percent in per capita income between 2008 and 2011.

Moreover, some of the counties that are benefiting from Eagle Ford Shale development have been amongst the poorest counties in the entire state.  Between 2008 and 2011, Texas also saw an increase of 1.34 percent in per capita income – reaching an average annual pay of $40,147.

Furthermore, the average per capita income in the counties surrounding the Eagle Ford increased from $28,148.92 in 2008 to $31,893.93 in 2011.

Some of the surrounding counties even experienced an income growth that significantly outpaced Texas as a whole. Increasing the wealth of the population is not a new benefit of oil and natural gas production.

For instance, Midland, TX is now the second richest city, per capita in the United States. Although Midland has long been known for its abundance of oil and natural gas, fracking and the natural gas boom have lowered the unemployment rate to less than 3 percent, and the metropolis is dealing with a housing shortage caused by flocking workers.

Oil and natural gas production in the Eagle Ford Shale is providing a better standard of living for Texans. From the products we use every day to the stimulation of the steel and manufacturing industries, our nation’s infrastructure depends on the development of natural resources.

Because of this, TAP Management is proud to be contributing to the exploration and production of our nation’s valuable resources. By creating better jobs and increasing the domestic supply of oil and natural gas, the United States will benefit from a robust energy sector and lowered reliance oil imports.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Oil Production Reaches Highest Level in 20 Years

The Energy Department recently reported that oil production in the United States rose to over 7 million barrels a day for the first time since 1993.

Furthermore, the increase in oil production helped the United States meet roughly 83 percent of its energy needs during in the first nine months of 2012.

If this pace was maintained through the remainder of 2012, the result could be the highest annual rate of energy independence the U.S. has reached since 1991.

Fracking and horizontal drilling innovations are the primary drivers of the domestic oil production spike the U.S. has witnessed in recent years.

According to data from the Energy Department, oil production in North Dakota rose by 40 percent last year through the month of October.

Furthermore, both Texas and Utah achieved significant oil production growth by 23 percent and 11 percent respectively.

 Surpassing Saudi Arabia Oil Production Levels

The International Energy Agency predicted in November that oil production in the U.S. will outstrip Saudi Arabia’s oil production level by 2020.

Saudi Arabia is currently the world’s largest oil exporter, and extracted 9.57 million barrels a day in December, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

In its monthly short-term energy outlook, the Energy Department estimated that the United States will extract an average of 7.32 million barrels a day in 2013 and roughly 7.92 million in 2014.

Domestic Oil Production Benefits

The American Petroleum Institute’s State of American Energy report outlines the substantial economic benefits oil and natural gas production is providing our nation.

According to the report, the industry contributes over $86 million in revenue every day to our federal government and is responsible for roughly 7.3 percent of the U.S. economy.

Moreover, the API’s report includes some remarkable statistics which help demonstrate the importance of oil and gas development:

$1.1 Trillion: The total value added by the US oil industry to the national economy

$109.5 Billion: The projected amount US households will save between 2009 and 2020 due to lower household natural gas prices

$545 Billion: Amount directly provided by the oil and natural gas industry to the US economy in 2011 (according to a PriceWaterhouseCoopers report).

9.2 million: The number of US jobs supported by American oil and gas

$94,500: The average salary for refinery workers

$29 billion: Cash dividends paid to shareholders of oil and natural gas companies

Despite increased regulations and additional tax burdens, the oil and gas industry has reached a record breaking oil production level.

If both policy makers and citizens embrace the economic benefits the oil and gas industry provides, the nation could become the world’s leading oil supplier and become an energy independent nation.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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TAP Management Complaints of Energy Growth Prevention

Federal policies that have stymied energy development projects are a component of TAP Management complaints.

A recent study by IHS determined that shale energy production has created 1.7 million jobs and is expected to generate a total of 3 million jobs by 2020.

Recently, the oil and natural gas industry became the top job creating sector in the United States.

Moreover, the industry also offers job seeking Americans more attractive wages compared to other industries.

IHS has also determined that every state, regardless of its capacity for natural resource production, is benefiting from job growth and tax revenues generated by the oil and gas industry.

Furthermore, the shale energy revolution is attracting a wave of investments that may revive profits in the steel, plastics and manufacturing industries.

President Obama recently outlined some of his priorities for his second term in office. One of his areas of focus is energy:

“You know, we've got a huge opportunity around energy. We are producing more energy and America can become an energy exporter. How do we do that in a way that also deals with some of the environmental challenges that we have at the same time”

In order to maximize job creation and enhance the economic benefits of energy production, industry officials would like to see the Obama Administration support the following:

Embrace Hydraulic Fracturing

Fracking technology has been utilized for over 60 years and has been a major contributor to the shale energy boom.

Vast amounts of oil and natural gas that were once unreachable are now being extracted in Texas, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Ohio and other deposits throughout the U.S.

These states have some of the lowest unemployment rates in the nation and have surpassed the total number of jobs the states recorded prior to the recession.

Allow Liquefied Natural Gas Exports

According to the Energy Information Administration, the United States “will become a net exporter of liquefied natural gas in 2016, and a net exporter of total natural gas in 2020.”

The Department of Energy commissioned consulting firm NERA to determine how such exports would affect our economy.

Upon the completion of the study, NERA concluded that the U.S. economy would benefit from selling domestic natural gas on world markets under every possible scenario.

Approve the Keystone XL Pipeline

This long awaited energy infrastructure project is expected to create 20,000 jobs, add $6.5 billion in economic contributions and add billions in revenue for struggling state and local governments.

Furthermore, a post-election poll by Harris Interactive found a strong majority of Americans want the president to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline.

As you can see, the shale oil and gas boom is leading the way to American energy independence and is providing a substantial amount of economic security to our nation.

Previous energy policies have prevented the United States from achieving its total energy production capacity.

Such policies have been a detriment to our nation’s growth and prosperity, and therefore, have become a part of TAP Management complaints.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Net Oil Imports Reach 20-Year Low

US Oil Production Reduces Crude Oil Import Levels

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal, Energy Information Administration (EIA) data demonstrates that oil imports in the United States fell by 9.2 percent in October compared to the previous year.

This drop represents the lowest level of imported crude oil since January 2000.

The information above reflects the impact the domestic shale production boom in North Dakota, Texas, Ohio and other shale-abundant states have had on reducing U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

According to EIA data, domestic oil production rose 15.9% from the previous year. This is the highest level of oil production in the U.S. recorded since December 1993.

The oil production spike in the U.S. was led by North Dakota, which experienced a rise in output to 747,000 barrels per day up from 729,000 barrels per day in 2011.

Nevertheless, Texas is still the nation’s top oil producing state, and has extracted over 65 million barrels of oil in 2012.

Net Oil Import Levels Fall

The recent spike in domestic oil production, as well as the lowered crude oil imports, has effectively reduced our net oil imports to 39.8 percent.

Moreover, the EIA’s preliminary estimates for November suggest that net oil imports could fall to 38.4 percent.

For the year to date through November, the EIA predicts that net oil imports in 2012 will account for only 41.1 percent of U.S. oil consumption.

If this occurs, this would represent the lowest level of dependence on foreign oil since the 40.7 percent share recorded in 1992.

Shale Energy Boom Era

The drilling boom in shale-rich states like Texas and North Dakota, thanks to advance drilling technologies, is revamping both the U.S. economy and our nation’s future energy outlook.

Furthermore, oil and gas production in the United States is providing a variety of economic benefits to local, state and federal agencies, and has emerged as the top job creating industry in the U.S.

Because of this, TAP Management and other domestic energy suppliers are looking forward to a more prosperous energy future and helping the U.S. become an energy independent nation by 2030.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Common Online Scams to Avoid this Christmas

On Monday, Visa Inc. revealed that 73 percent of consumers still had not finished shopping for Christmas gifts.

Furthermore, another survey  by Harris Interactive discovered that more than half of Americans will do the majority of their holiday shopping between now and Christmas Day.

Last minute holiday shoppers looking to take advantage of aggressive online promotions in the days leading up to Christmas should be increasingly weary before making any purchases.

Although you should always remain vigilant when surfing the web, fraud and scam related efforts tend to increase during the holiday shopping season.

Crafty cybercriminals looking to take advantage of Christmas shoppers this year will utilize a variety of tactics to steal online users’ money and identity.

The following are the some of the most commonly used internet scamsthat Americans should be aware of the upcoming days, as well as some tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud this holiday season:

SEE ALSO: ‘How to Avoid Online Scams this Holiday Season’

Charity Tricksters

Messages from charities asking for donations are expected to come in a variety of forms this holiday season, including phone, email, text, tweets, standard mail and even door-to-door sales representatives. Make sure they are legitimate by asking for identification. Also, it is much safer to contribute to known charities and refuse all the rest.

Grinch E-Card Greetings

This particular scheme involves malicious emails that contain engaging e-greeting cards as attachments. Typically, these spammers target office email addresses. Do not open these emails as they could infect your work station.

Fake Gift Card Trick

Cybercriminals oftentimes promote false gift cards through social media outlets in an effort to obtain personal information from respondents. The information that is gathered is then sold to other fraudsters for the purpose of identity theft or social engineering.

Copied Sites

Unscrupulous developers will build complete copies of established sites, send emails promoting great deals, sell products and authorize credit card transactions. Ultimately, the purchaser never receives any products. These sites are typically only live for a few days and the money collected is usually transferred abroad. Although credit card companies will often reimburse these victims, their credit card number has been compromised and will likely be sold to other cyber criminals. Always make sure the website you’re purchasing from has an SSL certificate.

Direct Message Scams

This typically occurs when someone tweets about a particular holiday gift they are trying to find and then they receive a direct message from another user offering to sell them the item. This is typically a baited effort for another scam. If you don’t know the person, be very careful before you proceed, and never pay in advance.

Extra Holiday Money Fraud

People looking to earn extra money during the holidays should avoid these work-from-home-scams. Many of these fraud tactics require you to fill out a form that requests confidential information such as your social security number. By providing this data, the victim exposes their private information, which is typically used for the purposes of identity fraud.

Fake Recession Relief

Some internet swindlers target people who are financially vulnerable with pay-in-advance scams and credit offers. Cybercriminals utilize spam emails advertising “prequalified, super-low interest” credit cards and loans if a user first pays a processing fee. These “fees” typically go straight to the pocket of the fraudsters behind the scam.

The Search Term Trap

Oftentimes, cybercriminals will discover a variety of “hot” items that people want and then build sites that claim to have the desired products. By using aggressive online marketing strategies, the site ranks well in search engines, and thus, users click on the link. These sites typically contain malware and infect users’ computers. To avoid such websites, make sure your web-browser is secure, updated and alerts you if a site is unsafe.

The Evil Wi-Fi Twin

Bargain shoppers often find items in a store and then search for a cheaper price for the same product online. Sometimes these shoppers bring their laptops or mobile devices to the mall, connect to an unsecure WiFi signal, locate a better deal online and purchase the item using a credit card while they are still in the store.

Unfortunately, many of these “free” wireless networks are set-up by fraudsters looking to obtain credit card information from their prey. It is best to always avoid connecting to these networks in general, especially in public places. Also, be sure to avoid using your credit card when connected to any unsecured networks.

As you can see, there are a variety of fraud-related tactics that cybercriminals could use to prey on last minute holiday shoppers.

Because it is important for both businesses and individuals to ensure the security of private data, TAP Management encourages everyone to shop safely this holiday season and be aware of the online scams cybercriminals often use.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Gasoline Reaches Lowest Price of 2012

The roughly 84 million Americans preparing to take road trips this holiday season can finally expect to see some relief at the pumps.

According to AAA and Oil Price Information Service, the national average price of gasoline dropped to roughly $3.25 a gallon on Monday – sliding to the lowest price level of 2012.

Furthermore, the national average retail gasoline price has dropped every day this month and has fallen by 16 percent since mid-September as demand for gasoline fell below pre-recession levels.

In contrast, oil prices inched higher on Monday, settling at $107.64 per barrel for Brent oil futures following news of progress in fiscal cliff negotiations.

If the U.S. goes over the fiscal cliff, energy experts expect fuel costs to tumble. If this occurs, average pump prices could drop below $3 a gallon – a level that has not been achieved since December 2010.

Refineries coming back online after previous disruptions in production and the exponential growth in domestic oil and natural gas drilling are the primary reasons for the lowered gas prices.

TAP Management and other independent oil and producers have contributed to a 15 year high oil production spike in the United States.

Because of this, the United States successfully met 83 percent of its energy needs in the first eight months of 2012 – the highest annual level since 1991.

Furthermore, the industry is now the leading job creating sector in the United States, offers higher paying employment opportunities and provides a significant amount of economic relief to our nation.

Nevertheless, some fiscal cliff discussions have involved raising taxes on the energy industry, which could significantly increase the production costs of manufacturers and raise the price of goods Americans use every day.

Despite the potential increase in energy taxes, many experts still believe strongly that the benefits the oil and natural gas industry provides will prevail and prevent such taxes from being imposed.

For instance, an energy intelligence advisory panel last week claimed that the nation may be energy independent within the next decade.

If energy experts are correct, the nation would likely benefit from more stable gasoline prices as companies like TAP Management do their part to help the U.S. achieve energy independence and become the world’s leading oil producer.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Who is the Leading Supplier of Oil to the US?

The belief that the Middle East is the largest supplier of petroleum to United States is false. In reality, our neighbor to the north provides the largest supply of crude oil to the U.S. U.S. imports of Canadian crude oil rose to record levels during the first eight months of 2012. Although the total amount of oil America imports from other nations is falling, the United States is now importing more oil from Canada, which accounted for 25 percent of U.S. crude oil imports in 2011.

According to the most recent oil trade data from the EIA, the importance of Canadian crude oil to U.S. refineries has significantly increased this year.

Between the months of January and August 2012, Canada supplied the United States with a record of roughly 2.5 million barrels per day.

Furthermore, total U.S. crude oil imports fell from 8.9 million barrels per day in 2011 to 8.7 million barrels per day during this same time-frame.

As a result of this growth, the share of Canadian oil as a percentage of total U.S. oil imports increased to 28 percent during this 8 month period.

In addition to these findings, the booming oil and natural gas production in the United States is leading the way to a brighter energy future. Many energy experts are claiming that the U.S. will finally achieve energy independence.

TAP Management is excited to be a part an industry that is providing economic stability to our nation, and reducing our nation’s reliance on crude oil produced overseas.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Amid Tax Complaints, Experts Say North America Will Be Energy Independent

While many energy experts have issued complaints of higher taxes on the industry and how they could thwart our nation’s progress in achieving energy independence, others remain more hopeful about the future of fossil fuels.

According to Hart Energy refining expert Terry Higgins, North America will achieve petroleum independence within the next decade, and contribute to a significant reduction in global crude prices.

During a presentation to industry insiders at the Petroleum Club, Mr. Higgins explained that the exponential growth of domestic oil and gas production in recent years is expected to have a substantial impact on the world’s petroleum marketplace.

This shift could help the United States surpass Saudi Arabia’s oil production levels, cause OPEC to lose market share and make the U.S. the leading global supplier of crude oil.

According to Fuel Fix, Higgins stated, “The single most critical driver in the world is what’s happening in North America … It doesn’t have anything to do with any proposed policy. This is really going to happen. We actually will be energy self-sufficient.”

Currently, the United States produces on average 5.5 million barrels per day. Higgins predicts that oil production from shale and other tight formations will contribute to an additional 4 million barrels per day within the next decade.

More moderate predictions from the U.S. Energy Information Administration anticipate a production level of roughly 6.5 million barrels per day by 2025.

As a result of the substantial growth in supply and declining domestic demand for petroleum products, Higgins believes that the West Texas Intermediate benchmark crude oil price will dip below $80.

Nevertheless, Higgins explained that refineries in the United States will remain active because of the lower cost of U.S. crude.

“To sustain refinery utilization, we need to be expanding our product exports,” stated Higgins. “With that kind of competitive advantage, I think we can do that.”

During a time of stale economic growth, it is not surprising that many energy officials have issued complaints of higher energy taxes.

Nevertheless, it is reassuring to hear other experts maintaining a more optimistic view about our nation’s energy focus – one that involves companies like TAP Management creating better jobs for Americans.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Why Energy Officials Have Issued Complaints of New Energy Taxes

The oil and gas industry is now the top creating job sector in the United States. The industry also offers job-seeking workers better wages and salaries compared to other industries. Furthermore, oil and gas production provides approximately $86 million of economic activity to the federal government every day.

Recently, policy makers have been focusing a great deal of their attention on avoiding the fiscal cliff, and developing a long-term financial strategy to help our nation recover from the economic challenges we are currently facing.

Although the oil and natural gas industry is providing a great deal of economic stability to our nation - and is potentially preventing the United States from another recession - some fiscal cliff discussions involve raising taxes on the energy industry.

The manufacturing sector is the largest energy consumer in the United States and uses one-third of the nation’s energy. Because of this, complaints that the proposed higher energy taxes could drive up domestic energy production costs for manufacturers appear to be sensible.

If new energy taxes are imposed, the resulting higher fuel costswill likely increase the overhead costs of American manufacturers. This would make the production of goods Americans use every day more expensive, and directly reduce the discretionary income of American families.

Energy experts have also expressed complaints and stated that new energy taxes could put millions of jobs at risk, and thwart future job creation estimates. The unemployment rate has been for the most part stagnant this year and has hovered around 8 percent. If manufacturers and businesses are burdened by higher fuel costs, many believe the result would be an even further drag on job creation.

The United States has made drastic improvements in achieving energy independence in recent years by developing new domestic energy resources. In fact, improvements in fracking technology and the shale oil boom have helped the United States achieve a 15 year high in domestic oil output. Moreover, information from IEA suggests that the U.S. could even become the world’s leading oil producer by 2020.

However, such optimism could be threatened by the proposed taxes on energy companies, which would cause increased tax burdens, and possibly discourage U.S. oil and gas investments. This could work against the industry goal of enhancing our nation’s energy security and boosting new, domestic investments in affordable energy resources.

Because of the potential impact such policy decisions will have on our nation, TAP Management encourages voters to pay attention to fiscal cliff discussions, and provide feedback to congress.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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US Oil Production Achieves 15 Year High: [phone]

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), domestic crude oil production in September reached the highest monthly output since 1998. 

Horizontal drilling and improvements in hydraulic fracturing, more popularly known as “fracking,” are the driving forces behind this growth according to EIA data.

The IEA also found that oil production yielded 6.5 million barrels per day in September. This represents an increase of over 900,000 barrels per day compared to September 2011 figures. Industry officials and lawmakers have lauded fracking and the shale boom for ushering in an era of greater self-sufficiency. This technique helped the United States become a net oil exporter in 2011 for the first time since 1949. The practice has created significant energy booms in states like North Dakota and Texas, which have sizeable deposits of shale oil and gas.  Furthermore, Texas and North Dakota states experienced the largest spikes in oil production this year.

According to the EIA forecasts, crude oil will average an annual growth rate of 234 thousand barrels per day through 2019, and reach a production level of 7.5 million barrels per day. However, the EIA predicts that production will begin to decline gradually to 6.1 million barrels per day in 2040 as producers develop sweet spots first and begin moving to less productive or less profitable drilling areas. TAP Management is proud to be a part of the increased domestic production deriving from shale and other tight formations. By working closely with private land-owners, the industry can provide more stabilized energy prices for consumers and businesses. To become part of an industry that is ensuring economic stability and better living conditions for Americans, contact us at [phone] to hear about our oil and gas venture opportunities.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Shale Energy Boom: Jobs, Security & Economic Growth

In previous years, geologists seemed to be the only people getting excited about shale production. Today, however, news headlines are filled with stories about how the domestic shale energy boom is providing critical financial aid to our struggling economy.

Products made from petroleum are used in almost every aspect of our daily lives. From transportation fuels to plastics, the oil and gas industry helps meet the demands of our complex and ever-expanding economy.

Many energy experts and economists believe that there is arguably no industry sector more integrated with the U.S. economy than the oil and natural gas industry.

Oil extracted from shale has contributed to a 25 percent increase in domestic oil production during the last four years. By 2015, oil production is projected to increase by 46 percent and surge by 68 percent by 2020 when compared to 2008 levels.

Unconventional oil production has helped the United States achieve a 15 year high in domestic oil output, with the majority of the spike occurring from shale development on privately owned lands. In fact, between fiscal years 2010 – 2011, oil production on federal lands declined by 11 percent.

The industry has emerged as the top job creating sector in the United States, and the earnings of these oil and gas workers reaches an average of roughly $35 an hour. Meanwhile, employment opportunities beyond the booming sector are less impressive and on average pay workers $23 an hour.

During the recession, the oil and gas industry provided stability in an otherwise uncertain economy. From 2006 through 2011, the U.S. oil and natural gas industry directly created 119,511 jobs while other sectors lost 4.5 million jobs. Moreover, the wages of oil and gas industry workers during this time-frame grew by 20 percent.

According to a report by IHS Global Insight, oil and natural gas production will be responsible for roughly 1.75 million American jobs this year. This figure is expected to reach 3.5 million jobs by 2035.

America’s oil and natural gas industry currently supports roughly 9.2 million jobs in the United States and represents approximately 7.7 percent of our nation’s Gross Domestic Product.

Each day, the industry provides more than $86 million of economic activity to federal coffers in rents, royalties, bonus payments and income tax payments.

Furthermore, the average tax rate for the industry between the years 2006 through 2011 was 44.3 percent, well above the 35 percent general corporate tax rate.

Also, between the years 2008 and 2010, the oil and natural gas industry invested nearly $156 billion each year in America’s infrastructure. These contributions accounted for almost 14 percent of all U.S. industries’ capital expenditures during the same period, outweighing the contributions from both the utilities and transportation industries combined.

With fiscal cliff concerns at the forefront of current political discussions, many public figures are encouraging congress and the Obama administration to recognize the successes of the oil and gas industry, and to capitalize on the economic stimuli that companies like TAP Management are providing the U.S.

Oil and gas production is essential to the current and future infrastructure of our nation. With the support of landowners, citizens and policy makers, the United States can achieve energy security and help generate the prosperity necessary to make our nation a superpower once again.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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US Will Soon Become World’s Leading Oil Producer

According to a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), the United States is on track to become the world’s leading oil producer by 2020.

The report also indicates that by 2035, the U.S. could become self-sufficient in providing for our nation’s energy demands.

By achieving energy security, the United States could move away from relying on foreign oil resources – we currently import roughly 20 percent of our total energy needs – and become a net oil exporter.

If these findings are realized, it could cause a radical shift that would likely transform global energy supplies and global geopolitics.

This dramatic shift will be driven primarily by the exponential development of hydrocarbon resources from shale and other tight rock formations.  Advancements in hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling are enabling producers to extract such resources that were previously trapped in these formations.

According to the IEA, “By around 2020, the United States is projected to become the largest global oil producer” and will overtake Saudi Arabia for some time. “The result is a continued fall in U.S. oil imports to the extent that North America becomes a net oil exporter around 2030.”

Within a decade, the IEA predicts that the oil imports in the U.S. will fall from roughly 10 million barrels a day to just 4 million barrels a day.

The majority of this decline will be triggered by higher domestic production from independent oil and gas producers like TAP Management.

However, the IEA explains that efforts to improve energy efficiency in the transportation sector will also significantly improve.

The IEA’s conclusions are partially backed by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which recently acknowledged for the first time that shale oil would drastically reduce its share of the U.S. market.

Furthermore, OPEC stated that the United States will import less than 2 million barrels a day in 2035 – almost three-quarters less than we currently import.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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The Oil and Gas Industry is the Top Job Creating Sector in America

Job creation has been one of the most important and highly debated topics this year. During the Presidential race, both President Obama and Governor Mitt Romney expressed sincere dissatisfaction with the stale unemployment rate, and empathized with struggling job seekers.

In an effort to satisfy their constituents, both candidates provided a proposed blue-print for creating jobs for Americans seeking employment opportunities.

As should be expected, the agenda of the two political parties differed in a variety of areas. However, the graph below represents a phenomenon that should transcend political ideologies:

This information should come as no surprise to those flocking to booming oil and natural gas producing states like Texas, North Dakota and Ohio.

While other industries are still facing challenges stemming from the recession, the oil and natural gas industry is creating jobs at a record pace. These new jobs are benefitting workers in the form of higher wages and salaries, especially when compared to other vapid industries.  

The number of oil and gas drilling jobs recorded in August this year demonstrates an increase of over 27 percent compared to early 2008 figures. Furthermore, the level reached in August was the highest monthly total since late 1987 - almost 25 years ago.

Meanwhile, total payroll employment in August of this year reached nearly five million jobs, roughly 3.4 percent below the peak level of payroll jobs recorded at the beginning of 2008.

Independent oil and gas companies like TAP Management have been hiring a cumulative average of almost 100 new workers every business day for activities directly related to oil and gas extraction. This does not include the thousands of indirect jobs being created along the supply chain that also support the shale boom.

Industries that are also benefiting from the increased domestic oil production include the railroad, trucking, fracking and sand mining and processing, heavy drilling equipment, steel tubing, housing, construction, banking, legal, and financial institutions.

Furthermore, America’s booming oil and natural gas industry is attracting billions of dollars of new investment opportunities and has emerged as the economy’s single largest job creating sector.

Without the powerful economic stimulus provided by the shale energy boom, the stale economic growth and sluggish job creation witnessed during the past several years would likely be much, much worse.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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How to Avoid Online Scams this Holiday Season

With the highly anticipated Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals just around the corner - and the looming holiday season closing in - online shoppers planning to take advantage of the aggressive online promotions should be highly suspicious of online fraud tactics.

While motivated holiday shoppers are looking to take advantage of the plethora of deals surrounding the Christmas season, fraudsters are also eager to take advantage of vulnerable buyers.

According to Econsultancy, roughly 62 percent of holiday shopping this year will be done online. Furthermore, Americans are expected to spend approximately $586.1 billion during the next six weeks.

Because of these projections and the heightened security threats, companies like McAfee and advertSAFE are attempting to reduce online fraud and identity theft through various web-based tools and education efforts.

According to an infographic released by McAfee, cybercriminals are planning to take advantage of online shoppers through a variety of fraud tactics such as fake promotional ads, malicious mobile apps and social media scams.

The following infographic by McAfee provides helpful tips to avoid becoming a victim of online fraudduring the upcoming sales season:

As you can see, there are a number of methods that unscrupulous developers will use to prey on vulnerable online shoppers this holiday season.

Because of this, it is important for both businesses and consumers to educate the public of such online fraud threats. This shared responsibility will be essential to reduce the effectiveness of scam tactics, and protecting the identity of online shoppers.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Oil Production in U.S. Sets New Record

Oil production in the United States has risen to the highest level achieved in almost 18 years. According to the Energy Department, total oil output recently surged by 8,000 barrels up to roughly 6.68 million barrels a day. This spike is the most significant increase the U.S. has experienced since Dec. 23, 1994.

The shale boom, in conjunction with advancements in fracking technology, has effectively reduced our nation’s reliance on foreign fuels by unlocking fuel trapped in deep underground formations in natural resource abundant states such as Texas, North Dakota and Oklahoma. Because of this growth, the United States is now one step closer to achieving energy independence. In fact, the U.S. met approximately 83 percent of its energy needs in the first six months of 2012 - putting us on track to reach the highest annual level of domestically produced energy consumed by Americans since 1991.

Overall, crude oil imports have declined by 11 percent this year. This is an important achievement as oil imports currently account for more than 50 percent of the U.S. trade deficit. According to department records, oil production in North Dakota has advanced by 31 percent this year. Meanwhile, other top oil-producing states such as Texas and Oklahoma have also increased output levels by 19 percent and 11 percent respectively.

Kyle Cooper, director of commodities research at IAF Advisors, explained “Every added barrel we make here is another barrel we don’t need from somewhere else … U.S. production could reach 9 million to 10 million barrels per day in another five to 10 years.”

TAP Management is proud to be a part of this shale oil and gas boom because of the significant economic impact it is providing our nation. With additional support from policy makers and U.S. citizens, the United States can ensure our future energy needsare met with domestically developed resources.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]

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Oil and Gas Development is Creating Better Jobs for Americans

According to a new report by IHS, the U.S. oil and natural-gas boom will create 1.7 million jobs this year. IHS estimates the earnings of these oil and gas workers will be on average $35 an hour, “dramatically higher” than the average $23 an hour wage for other jobs outside the booming industry.

Furthermore, IHS is predicting that the number of U.S. jobs in the oil and gas industry will reach 2.5 million by 2015, and nearly 3.5 million jobs in 2035.

These estimates are not limited to employment opportunities on oil rigs alone. In fact, the U.S. oil and gas industry is also creating onshore manufacturing jobs to produce drilling equipment as well as computer-technology services for seismic assays. Furthermore, the booming industry is also fostering the growth of relevant legal and consulting jobs.

The report released by IHS forecasts that unconventional oil and gas production from shale will add $237 billion to our GDP in 2012. IHS predicts this figure will increase to $475 billion by 2035.

Federal and state governments are expected to benefit from $91 billion in economic activity from the booming oil and gas sector in 2015. This figure is expected to rise to $111 billion in 2020 and north of $124 billion in 2035 depending on future administration and congressional policies.

According to Daniel Yergin, IHS vice chairman, the rise in unconventional oil and gas production “has not only contributed to U.S. energy security, but is a significant source of new jobs and economic activity at a time when the economy is a top priority.”

Furthermore, Yergin added, “The United States currently has the highest rate of growth in crude oil production capacity in the world and is virtually self-sufficient in natural gas.”

The IHS report noted that unconventional oil and gas extraction is regulated by the states, and the exploration and production companies fueling this growth are operating on private lands.

Despite the increased regulations of oil and natural gas production, independent producers like TAP Management are effectively increasing the supply of energy through unconventional oil and gas extraction.

During a time of global economic uncertainty and stale job creation, the oil and gas industry is providing better employment opportunities and wages for job-seeking Americans and their families. With additional support from voters and policy makers, the United States could achieve energy security and recover from the recession.

TAP Management Inc.  |  515 Congress Avenue, Suite 2525  |  Austin, TX  |  [phone]