The following is a statement by Regina Hopper, president and CEO of America's Natural Gas Alliance (AN GA), on the recent White House briefing paper on “Investing in America,” which highlights the key role American natural gas can play in advancing our nation’s economic recovery.

ConocoPhillips has made additional appointments to the executive management teams for the two energy companies that will be created when ConocoPhillips completes its strategic repositioning, expected in the second quarter of this year.

According to a just-released survey by Dahlman Rose & Co., oil and gas companies are projected to spend more for exploration and production this year in spite of slow economic growth and concerns about sovereign debt in Europe and elsewhere globally.

There were three large deals by super majors this week as Total played it safe by acquiring a producing North Sea asset whilst Royal Dutch Shell and ENI opted for a high risk but high reward asset in Nigeria.

Royale Energy Inc. was selected by the State of Alaska as a winning bidder on acreage in the North Slope Area wide lease sale.

Ecopetrol reported its approved investment plan for the year 2012 and the update of the strategic plan for the Corporate Group for the 2012-2020 period.

ConocoPhillips will make future appointments to the executive management teams of the two energy companies that will be created when ConocoPhillips completes its strategic repositioning, expected in the second quarter of 2012.

The global economy is moving toward a gas-powered economy. This is being driven by several reasons, but it's making abundant North American natural gas a potential valuable commodity for export in the form of LNG to worldwide markets.