HOUSTON — Longtime energy worker Tommy Hurdle has been through multiple waves in the industry over some 20 years.
"When things are good you need to put your money away," Hurdle said. "Because when things crash you end up not making for a little while and it’s hard to find a job to kind of replace that income.”
He said he hopes banning Russian oil might mean increased production here at home since he currently spends most of his time on offshore rigs.
"We’re banning all imports of Russian oil and glass and energy,” President Joe Biden said during Tuesday's announcement.
But that's something insiders currently participating in the CERAWeek conference in Houston are skeptical about.
"We have an administration that does seem to be focused more on developing oil and gas overseas than it does here in the U.S.,” American Petroleum Institute President Mike Sommers said.
"It’s political window dressing,” KHOU 11 News energy expert Ed Hirs said.
Hirs doesn't believe Biden’s sanctions will have much of an impact -- except on gas prices. And they might rise even more if Russia decides to pull global supply.
"Then we could see the price of oil hit $300 a barrel for a period of time," Hirs said. "That would top us out at $9 ... $10 a gallon at the pump for gas in Texas.”
Hurdle said he feels for folks knowing that pain at the pump is a two-edged sword.
"It’ll put people back to work into good-paying jobs," Hurdle said. "But also, on the flip side, you’re paying higher gas prices which takes out of your underlying budget and household.”