Oil and Gas Pollution Drives 91,000 US Premature Deaths Annually, Studies Reveal

A comprehensive study published in Science Advances reveals that air pollution from the entire oil and gas lifecycle in the United States causes approximately 91,000 premature deaths annually, alongside significant health impacts including over 10,000 preterm births, 216,000 new childhood asthma cases, and 1,610 lifetime cancers. The research, conducted by University College London, the Stockholm Environment Institute, and other institutions, highlights severe racial and ethnic disparities, with Black, Asian, Native American, and Hispanic communities disproportionately affected, particularly in regions with heavy oil refining such as eastern Texas and southern Louisiana. The study maps pollution from upstream extraction to downstream end-use, showing that while upstream and end-use stages produce the most pollution, downstream activities cause the greatest adverse health effects, especially among Black populations. These findings underscore the urgent public health crisis posed by fossil fuel pollution and the role of systemic inequities in exposure and outcomes. The results call into question current U.S. energy policies that downplay climate change and its human costs, emphasizing the need to address both environmental and social justice concerns. The study represents the most detailed and wide-ranging quantification to date of oil and gas pollution’s impact on human health in the U.S.