As alternative energy and independence from foreign oil become a frontline for the White House administration, Louisiana has to show the world that offshore drilling and protecting coastlines can be done simultaneously, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu said during a visit to The Bayou Companies.

Landrieu, D-New Orleans, stopped by the deep-water pipe coating, insulation and prefabrication company at the Port of Iberia Wednesday afternoon as one of four visits to Acadiana oil and gas companies.

She is scheduled to testify before Congress today to support lifting the bans on more offshore drilling, and said touring local facilities and speaking with industry leaders will help her in her fight against President Barack Obama’s proposed increase in taxes on the oil and gas industry.

(Use arrows above to view more photos) Advertisement

“I’ve got to highlight these companies and their tremendous advances and importance in this industry,” Landrieu said. “It’s like someone said earlier today, ‘We’ve got to tell the president that you don’t start building the bridge to the future by burning the bridge.’ That’s what these taxes would do.”

The Bayou Companies Director of Business Development David Boulet said in his presentation to Landrieu that the Gulf of Mexico is home to the deepest oil development in the world, and the proposed taxes, specifically on imported crude oil, would be a “detriment” to the company.

The company, which operates on 280 acres at the port, was recently acquired by Insituform Technologies out of St. Louis, Boulet said.

“Oil companies have choices as to where they bring their crude, and choices as to where they invest their dollars,” Boulet said.

Sensitivity to environmental concerns has become more prevalent in recent years, Boulet said, adding that it is crucial for Landrieu and others to share the truth about concerns like pipeline leakage.

“The scare tactics out there (on environmental concerns) are hurting us,” Boulet said. “There are more leaks out of the ground naturally than in the industry, and things like that need to come out.”

Boulet told Landrieu higher education programs on industry technologies like welding engineering and incident mitigation will be necessary for oil and gas to move toward foreign independence and alternative energy.

With a state having such large oil, gas and boating industry ties, Boulet said he still “scratches his head” on why there is not a single welding engineering program at any Louisiana university.

“People are under intense pressure to protect our coast and rising sealines,” Landrieu said. “We can do both at the same time. We have to show people it can be done because we have the best technology in the world. Each side’s got to give a little and take a little.”