SC Jobs & Economy

Offshore access to South Carolina’s rich stores of oil and natural gas would strengthen our nation's energy and national security, and boost the Palmetto State’s economy.

South Carolina's oil and natural gas industry already supports 67,000 jobs in South Carolina alone, with non-gas station salaries averaging 30% more than the average South Carolina salary. 

These jobs add $4.7 billion to South Carolina’s gross state product, or 2.8% of its wealth. The industry supports jobs not just in exploring, producing, refining, transporting and marketing oil and natural gas, but also through the purchases it makes of other goods and services that support the industry’s operations.

America’s oil and natural gas industry supports 10.3 million jobs throughout the economy and 7.6 percent, or $1.3 trillion, of GDP (2015).

If the government would permit offshore development in the Atlantic, we would expect South Carolina to supply 35,000 jobs to support that exploration in 2035 (11,000 direct jobs and 24,000 indirect) and contribute $2.7 billion to the state's economy.