While high oil and gas prices are motivating many industries to trim costs, they are driving oil companies to drill more and squeeze as much as they can out of existing wells. The Ventura County oil industry stands out as an exception in today’s tough economic climate by adding jobs and ramping up production with new equipment. Although crude oil futures are down from more than $147 a barrel in July, prices are still high. Light, sweet crude dipped $1.44 to settle at $113.01 a barrel Tuesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange. For the full story visit www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/aug/13/oil-drilling-on-rise-in-county-jobs-added/
