American Oil and Gas Reporter - January 2015 - 178

ConventionSection: Independent Oil & Gas Association of West Virginia

IOGAWV Winter Meeting - Charleston, W.V.
Tuesday, Feb. 10
8 a.m. Registration & Breakfast, Charleston
Town Center Marriott, Main Lobby
8-10:30 a.m. Technical Session, Salons A-D
Sponsored by Baker Hughes
10:45 a.m.-Noon Technical Session, Salons
A-D
Sponsored by Schlumberger Oilfield Services
Noon-1:30 p.m. Past Presidents'/Gunslinger
Luncheon, Salons E-F
Noon-1 p.m. Luncheon for Technical Session
Attendees, Pavilion
West Virginia Desk and Derrick Club Attendees
Sponsored by Baker Hughes, Schlumberger
Oilfield Services and Universal Well
Services
1-2:15 p.m. Technical Session, Salons A-D
Sponsored by Schlumberger Oilfield Services
1-3 p.m. West Virginia Desk and Derrick
Club Meeting, Cumberland-Appalachian
2:30-5 p.m. Technical Session, Salons A-D
Sponsored by Universal Well Services
5:30-6:30 p.m. GOpac Reception, Salons
E-F
Admission by Donation Only
6:30-8 p.m. IOGAWV Membership and
Legislative Reception, Ballroom
Sponsored by Dominion Field Services
and Dominion Transmission

Wednesday, Feb. 11
8 a.m. Registration & Breakfast, Charleston
Town Center Marriott, Main Lobby

9 a.m. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin (Invited),
Ballroom
Preview of Governor's Education Video
9:15 a.m. Producer Presentations, Ballroom
John Mork, Energy Corporation of America
Steven L. Mueller, Southwestern Energy
John Walker, EnerVest
David Peebles, ODEBRECHT
10:35 a.m. Break, Foyer C-D
10:50 a.m. Donald B. Nestor, Arnett Foster
Toothman PLLC, Ballroom
Federal and State Tax Update
11:10 a.m. Greg Wrightstone, Wrightstone
Energy Consulting, Ballroom
"Appalachian Unconventionals: Where Do
We Stand Today and Where Are We Going?"
11:30 a.m. Break, Foyer C-D
Noon Producers' Luncheon, Ballroom
Luncheon Speakers: Former West Virginia
Governor Gaston Caperton; Ralph Madena, USI Insurance Services of West Virginia; Christopher Guith, U.S. Chamber
of Commerce Institute for 21st Century
Energy; James L. Skidmore, West Virginia
Council for Community and Technical
College Education; Scott Potter, RBN
1:45 p.m. Philip A. Reale, Law Office of
Philip A. Reale PLLC, Ballroom
"Legislative Update: Tank Bill & Producers'
Issues"
2:15 p.m. Break
5 p.m. Membership Reception, Salons A-B
6 p.m. Membership Banquet and Oil & Gas
Reclamation Awards Ceremony, Ballroom
Keynote Speaker: K.T. McFarland

178 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

Haney concurs with the WVDEP's
conclusion that the saltwater and oil typically contained in oil and gas tanks do
not warrant the same precautions as chemicals that could pose a genuine risk to
water supplies. "If either of those substances leaked into a water supply, it
would be relatively easy and safe to clean
up," he elaborates. "Saltwater would be
distilled in the freshwater mixture. Oil-
because it 'floats' on water as a separate
layer-would be easy to dispose safely.
Neither is dangerous and the WVDEP
need not worry about tanks with nonhazardous materials."
In an effort to comply with the law,
operators have had to register their tanks
and submit spill prevention plans to the
state, Haney observes. He clarifies that,
because oil storage tank owners already
have submitted similar plans to federal
regulators, they have been able to resubmit them to the state; but saltwater
tanks have required their owners to submit
new plans.
Additionally, he says, each tank was
to be inspected by a petroleum engineer
before Jan. 1, but the ratio of tanks to inspectors made that impossible. "Tanks
not inspected before 2015 will be out of
compliance," he stated in late 2014.
"WVDEP only recently has allowed operators to self-inspect their tanks, which
many of them do already to comply with
federal regulations.
"So, we will continue to try to rectify
this issue because it is redundant for
those tank owners already under federal
regulation, and its unnecessary and costly
for small operators owning tanks with
nonhazardous materials," he continues.
"West Virginia has a history of compliance, and we intend to keep it that way.
This association will do its best to ensure
that this law is changed for the better."
Haney also emphasizes the significance
of the IOGAWV Membership and Legislative Reception on Feb. 10, where
nearly all 134 legislators have attended
in past years.
Haney notes that many legislators are
aware already of the AST Act's impacts.
"We have had six legislative luncheons
with them about the issue," he says.
"However, because the reception will be
during the legislative session, we hope to
have as many members and legislators
as possible attend, so both sides can
discuss possible ways to solve this storage
tank dilemma."

American Oil and Gas Reporter - January 2015

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