The next MTS Houston Section luncheon will be held on August 25 2011 and will feature a presentation by Paul Hillegeist, Quest Offshore. Paul will provide an overview of a new study released in July by the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API). The study reveals the nationwide jobs and economic impact of the Gulf of Mexico offshore oil and gas industry and the effect of permitting on the job figures. According to the study conducted by Quest Offshore Inc., the Gulf offshore oil and gas industry supported more than 240,000 jobs across the country in 2010, while contributing more than $26 billion to the nation’s GDP. The Gulf offshore oil and gas industry supports tens of thousands of jobs outside the Gulf of Mexico.