NPC Origins and Charter
Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
January 17, 2025
minute read time
National Petroleum Council Overview
Chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) of 1972, the National Petroleum Council (“NPC”, or “Council”) is an advisory committee whose purpose is to advise the U.S. Secretary of Energy on matters related to oil and natural gas and the oil and natural gas industries.
In 1946, President Harry Truman requested that the Secretary of the Interior establish this federally chartered and privately funded advisory group to represent the oil and natural gas industry’s views to the federal government by advising, informing, and recommending policy options. Today, the NPC advises the Secretary of Energy, and the views represented are broader than those of just the oil and natural gas industry.
The NPC consists of approximately 200 members appointed by the Secretary of Energy to ensure well-balanced representation from all segments of the oil and natural gas industry, from all areas of the country, and from large and small companies. Members are also appointed from outside the oil and natural gas industry and represent related interests such as large energy consumers, states, Native Americans, and academic, financial, research, and public interest organizations and institutions. A pie chart categorizing the current NPC membership by sector is given below, and a full list of the current NPC membership can be found here.
The NPC most commonly provides advice in reports developed through studies conducted on topics requested by the Secretary of Energy. Since its establishment in 1946, the NPC has prepared over 200 reports with findings and recommendations that are pertinent to broad public policy and that increase understanding of oil and natural gas industry capabilities and factors affecting domestic and global oil and natural gas supply and demand. The NPC can also provide advice during meetings, which occur at least annually and at the request of the Secretary NPC meetings further informed dialogue on issues involving energy security, the economy, and the environment. Like the reports it delivers, these NPC discussions are vital sources of information for the Secretary on trends, outlooks, and market conditions related to the oil and natural gas industries. For more details on NPC meetings and reports, please visit the webpages below:
Origins of the NPC
The origins of the NPC stem from the experience of government and industry cooperation during World War II. The importance of petroleum to the war effort was cited by President Roosevelt in appointing Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes as Petroleum Coordinator for Defense.
Secretary Ickes in turn recognized the value of industry advice in the development of petroleum policies and appointed the Petroleum Industry War Council, whose charge was to "...mobilize most effectively all resources and abilities of the petroleum industry to deal with the emergency conditions under which the industry must operate, and to provide a competent, responsible and representative body."
In May 1946, President Truman stated in a letter to the Secretary of the Interior that he had been impressed by the contribution made by industry and government cooperation to the success of the World War II petroleum program. He felt that it would be beneficial if this close relationship were continued and suggested that the Secretary of the Interior establish an industry organization to advise the Secretary on oil and natural gas matters. On June 18, 1946, the Secretary of the Interior established the NPC as the peacetime successor to the Petroleum Industry War Council. In 1977, the U.S. Department of Energy was established, and the NPC's functions were transferred to the new Department.
NPC Charter
The purpose of the NPC Charter is to specify the Council's objectives and scope, specific duties, and general operational characteristics. The charter is renewed every two years in accordance with Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) provisions, as amended, 5 U.S.C. §10. The NPC Charter was last renewed on January 5, 2024.
Secretaries of the Interior and of Energy Served by the NPC
The NPC is an important asset for each Secretary of Energy, providing a unique mechanism to connect with and obtain insights from top leaders in the oil and natural gas industry and related interest entities. Since its establishment in 1946, the National Petroleum Council has advised 26 cabinet-level government officials: 10 Secretaries of the Interior, and 16 Secretaries of Energy.
