We have known for a long time that we have got to get this state off the heavy reliance on oil and gas. Not saying we need to cut back on drilling and such as much as we need to focus on other industries and infrastructure. When times are good thats the time to invest in broadening our economy.
Here is what the next go around could very well look like. Gas prices will rise again. The economy will bounce back over the years. Then just as we think we are sitting pretty, gas prices will begin to drop again... and this time likely stay low. Why? By this time alternative energy sources and transportation truly will be competitive and keep getting better and more broadly based, the now fast growing economies will have matured to a much slower pace, and people will really be able to see the writing on the wall. I would hope that they would see it now and prepare for this future so that we aren't "surprised" by the inevitable. We won't know exactly when but I think most can agree that this will happen. Lets not be behind the curve, lets get ahead of it and reap the benefits of that foresight. Lets indeed make money off the oil/gas while the getting is good, but know it aint gonna last, for this next time may very well be the last time we get to play this card.
Oklahoma made a stab at taking part in alternative energy. Does anyone know if we still make any wind farm components in Tulsa now? We created a good trade in wind farm construction at one point, but like any form of construction, once the big project is done, you have to find the next big project.
It looks as if solar technology has been ceded to the Chinese.
The oil business itself isn’t necessarily driven by drilling and exploration in the state. We still have a few significant players in the exploration and production field with interests all over the place like Chesapeake and Continental in the state, but we also have huge refining and oil field infrastructure companies in the area as well as their feeders: Koch, Zeeco, UOP Russell (Honeywell), Matrix, Smithco, FlowServe, Metal Services, TekTube, Halliburton, Baker-Hughes, etc. Some of those companies also do projects not oil-related. We have world-class fabricators right here in Tulsa. There are still many job openings available in the heavy fabrication field. We should try to capitalize on that. Having the Port of Catoosa is a wonderful strategic tool as you can move items by barge far too large to move by truck or train.
We need to try and encourage more tech and research growth, but that won’t happen without quality education programs we can point to as leaders in the field to attract tech companies. To do that, we need more cooperation from the board of regents to quit putting the noose over Tulsa’s neck in needing real four year public college options.
We keep looking in the wrong direction for sources of employment. Because city operating budgets rely on sales tax, we end up courting retail business which provides primarily entry level or secondary income type jobs. That doesn’t lead an economy, that follows an economy. I was told by a former politician that if he ever got back in, his sole platform would be weaning the state and cities off the dependence on sales tax. Then we could focus more on real quality of life issues like a real four year public university program in Tulsa.
We are missing a few things other areas are able to use to recruit tech companies or alternatives to energy-related business. We don’t have mountains out our backyard or an ocean an hour’s drive away. We are doing a better job at revitalizing our urban areas and improving green space, though I don’t think water in the river and commercial development up and down the Arkansas River is the kind of thing which would help attract 25-34 YP’s.
if we want quite a bit of commercial development on a waterway, we would be better to revisit small scale canals like the creek (Elm Creek?) that is now a covered storm sewer from Centennial Park to 21st & Riverside. That’s what San Antonio and OKC have that seems to appeal to a certain amount of people around here. The scale of the Arkansas River is such that it’s not really conducive to that sort of development and some of the other developments further south have sort of turned their back on the river and not made it a focus (i.e. King’s Landing).
