Energy debates in America are often framed as a choice between the future and the past. But when it comes to the U.S. economy, that framing misses a crucial reality: reliable energy is not just an environmental or geopolitical issue, it is an economic one. And today, natural gas and nuclear energy remain a key foundation to American prosperity.
When all impacts are included (both direct and indirect), the oil and natural gas industry contributes between $2.0 trillion and $2.4 trillion to U.S. Gross Domestic Product, representing roughly 7 to 8% of the total economy. Natural gas alone accounts for more than half of that share. These are not speculative numbers; they are derived from multiple methodologies from trusted resources.
That economic scale matters especially for an economy like Michigan’s, where manufacturing, agriculture, chemicals, autos, and logistics depend heavily on affordable and reliable energy inputs.
The Direct Economic Footprint
At the most basic level, natural gas and nuclear energy are producers of value. Oil and gas extraction, pipeline transportation, refining, and related support activities generate hundreds of billions of dollars in direct economic output each year. According to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) data, oil and gas extraction alone contributed more than $250 billion in value-added output in 2024, up significantly from 2021.
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