The United States must increase its exploration of natural gas and crude oil if the economy is to grow, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman said Friday. Bodman made the comment during a speech to the U.S. Energy Association, a trade group. "Our economy and social well being depend on an affordable and reliable source of energy," Bodman said. The United States must have a multi-phased approach in order to increase its energy supplies, Bodman said. This approach should include building new crude oil refineries. By increasing capacity, the United States could keep oil prices from rising too high, Bodman added. "High energy prices are keeping businesses from creating as many as jobs as possible," he added. --MORE 1050 Local Time 0750 GMT
