New study backs future crude oil exports from the Gulf Coast

Lifting the crude oil export ban in the U.S. would lead to thousands of new Gulf Coast jobs — particularly for Houston energy companies — and could even lower the price of domestic fuels, according to a new study sponsored by the American Petroleum Institute. The U.S. is poised to soon become the world's top producer of oil, largely because of tight oil production in the shale plays in Texas' Permian Basin and more.  "It's a new era for American energy," said Kyle Isakower, API vice president… Reported by bizjournals 30 minutes ago.