Kenney travelling to Washington again to advocate for Alberta oil

Alberta's premier and energy minister will make a case for the province's oil to U.S. leaders during another trip to Washington, D.C., this week.

Energy Minister Sonya Savage will join Premier Jason Kenney at meetings on Capitol Hill, participate in the IHS Oil Sands Dialogue, and events organized by the Pathways Alliance, a lobby group representing the six major Canadian oil sands producers.

According to the province, the trip's goal is to push Alberta oil as part of a "North American energy strategy" that creates "energy security and affordability."

"The world needs more responsibly produced energy and Alberta — which adheres to the highest environmental, human rights and labour standards — is the logical choice to help meet that demand," Kenney said in a statement.

"Alberta is ready to help our U.S. neighbours create a stable, affordable and ethical energy system for North America, and we look forward to productive discussions through this mission," the premier added.

Savage, who is travelling from Monday to Thursday, will be accompanied on the trip by her chief of staff and two officials from Alberta Energy, while three staff members will support the premier during his travel on Wednesday to Friday.

In May, Kenney told the U.S. Senate's energy and natural resources committee that energy producers in Alberta adhere to "incredibly ambitious environmental and emissions targets" that are transparent, unlike other countries like Venezuela that operate state-owned enterprises.

During that trip, Kenney told reporters he would continue advocating for the province to become America's preferred provider of oil and gas.

“I think you can expect to see an Alberta delegation of ministers down here in Washington at least every other month,” Kenney said at the time.

“I was here two months ago, they’re going to be here one month from now — we’re going to be really picking up the tempo of our presence here.”

Joe Manchin, a high-profile U.S. senator representing West Virginia, visited Alberta in April and said it's vital for the two countries to be partners to guarantee energy security as the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues.

"We continue working to address North American and global energy security concerns that have been neglected for too long," Savage said in a statement. "It is important for Alberta to have a seat at the table when these matters are being discussed.

"Our energy sector supports jobs on both sides of the border, lowers U.S. energy costs, and plays a vital role in maintaining a reliable, affordable, North American energy system."

With files from The Canadian Press