American Oil and Gas Reporter - March 2016 - 89

ConventionSection: Texas Alliance of Energy Producers
Wednesday, April 20, kicks off at 8
a.m. with the expo and a continental
breakfast. Seminars begin at 9:30 for a
forum featuring the Republican runoff
competitors seeking to be the newest
Texas Railroad commissioner. Also on
the schedule are market analysts Kyle
Cooper, managing director of research at
Criterion Research LLC, and Britt Hance,

vice president of trading at Texla Energy
Management Inc.
After a noon luncheon at the MPEC's
Yeager Coliseum, the expo will reopen
from 1:30 to 4 p.m. The Alliance Board
of Directors will meet at 2 p.m.
And though Rogers says the schedule
offers a lot to enjoy, he acknowledges
that his favorite aspect is simply rubbing

elbows with other people in the oil and
gas industry. "I am a people person," he
says. "As chairman, I have enjoyed going
around the state and visiting with different
people, from the smallest to some of the
largest operators. I have enjoyed listening
to their views. There are a lot of bright
people in our industry, and a good listener
can learn a lot."
❒

RRC Race Attracts Industry's Interest
WICHITA FALLS, TX.-Texas Alliance
of Energy Producers Chairman George
Rogers acknowledges surprise at Texas
Railroad Commissioner David Porter's
decision not to seek re-election. "He attended many of our events during the
last couple years," relates Rogers, president
of Bettis, Boyle & Stovall Inc. in Graham,
Tx. "We were very comfortable with him.
He has provided the RRC with good
leadership and has been a steady voice."
Alliance General Counsel Gloria Leal
recalls the sudden rush of candidates
throwing their hats into the ring after
Porter's announcement. "I do not want
to call it a free-for-all, but an open seat
attracts a lot of candidates," she describes.
"All of a sudden, we had an unexpected
race on our hands."
Under Texas' election rules, Leal explains, the top two candidates in a primary
election in which no candidate garners
more than 50 percent of the vote compete
in a runoff held on a date chosen by the
governor.
With an eye toward the March 4 primary, the Alliance in late January joined
Texas' other oil and gas groups to cosponsor a forum for the seven candidates
seeking the Republican nomination. "We

heard from them both in prepared remarks
and for more than an hour fielding questions," recounts Alliance Chief Lobbyist
Bill Stevens. "It was not open to the
media. There were about 80 people in
the room, including the candidates. It
helped to see them side by side, and hear
them speak and answer questions. Something like that provides an idea of the
depths of the candidates' knowledge about
the industry and RRC procedures."
Those GOP runoff candidates are
scheduled to appear on the second day
of the Alliance's annual meeting, April
19-20 in Wichita Falls, and Leal emphasizes that whomever Texas elects to be
its newest railroad commissioner will
face a number of weighty matters. She
notes that the RRC will undergo another
sunset review during the 2017 legislative
session, although "re-re-review" may be
more accurate.
"The legislature has not passed a sunset
bill to continue the agency for its next
term, but has punted during the past two
sessions," she observes. "There are some
indications it will be successful this time."
Alliance Principles
Stevens reports the Alliance govern-

ment relations team and President Alex
Mills met with the RRC Sunset Commission in early February to inform its
members about the Alliance's stances on
a few key factors.
First, he emphasizes, the Alliance
firmly backs the RRC's governing structure, which features three equal and
elected commissioners. "A three-person
commission is stronger and better able
to push back on federal regulatory overreach," Stevens suggests.
Other factors the Alliance appreciates
about that structure include continuity
and complementarity, Rogers says, citing
the existing makeup as particularly strong.
"Commissioner Porter is an accountant,
Commissioner (Ryan) Sitton is an engineer, and Commissioner (Christi) Craddick
is an attorney, which really provides a
good mixture of experience," he praises.
"They all know the oil and gas industry,
and have done a great job keeping the
focus on science and facts, and not reacting
according to emotion and politics."
A second matter, Leal says, deals with
the RRC's authority. "We support the
RRC being a one-stop shop for all matters
relating to oil and gas," she characterizes.
"The commission should retain all func-

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MARCH 2016 89

American Oil and Gas Reporter - March 2016

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