American Oil and Gas Reporter - November 2016 - 100

nouncement to withhold an easement
issued within minutes after Judge Boasberg's decision is remarkable," Black characterized. "The judge's opinion shows the
Corps did its job. I hope the period of review-which includes actually reading the
judge's order and the court documents-
will end soon with DAPL getting the easement the record shows is appropriate."
Even so, CEA's Browning observed,

the protests have drawn anti-fossil-fuel
activists from around the country, which
further complicates the outlook. "Unfortunately, it has gotten a little ugly," he
described. "The tactics have grown increasingly intimidating and threats have
been issued against the head of Energy
Transfer Partners and others."
In a presentation focused on CEA's
"Campaign for American Energy" to help

correct the country's narrative around energy issues, Browning emphasized the
difference between reasoned environmentalism and keep-it-in-the-ground activism.
"CEA is not an anti-environmental organization; responsible environmental
groups are an important part of the national
dialogue regarding energy and development," he held. "But there is no place for
threats, intimidation and violence." ❒

Shale Insight Considers Road Ahead
By Mike Chadsey
COLUMBUS, OH.-On Sept. 21-22,
the Ohio Oil & Gas Association, Marcellus
Shale Coalition, and West Virginia Oil &
Natural Gas Association held the 2016
Shale Insight Conference at the David L.
Lawrence Conference Center in Pittsburgh.
The event drew almost 1,300 attendees,
who heard from a wide range of talented
speakers, visited vendor booths, and had
a chance to network among old friends
and new.
The event kicked off with a screening
of the movie, Fractured: Language, Lies
and Energy. The movie, by filmmaker
Mark Mathis, argues that words matter
and conversations about energy and energy
development require oil and gas industry
advocates to be not only accurate, but
also selective in their word choices.
Much of the rest of the conference
was dedicated to end-users and how state
governments and the industry could help
create an environment receptive to new
investments that would provide burner
tips for natural gas.
OOGA Executive Vice President
Shawn Bennett offered a key point early
in the event when he attempted to put the

area's gas output in context. "If Ohio,
Pennsylvania and West Virginia became
a country, we would be the third largest
natural gas producer in the world with
the most affordable natural gas in the industrialized world," he observed.
After a series of breakout sessions focused on topics that included infrastructure,
regulatory challenges and exports, Harold
Hamm delivered the afternoon keynote
address. The Continental Resources chairman and chief executive officer offered
his perspectives about the industry's future
as it began its ascent out of a downturn.
Opportunities And Challenges
Among the highlights on the conference's final day was Alex Epstein, who
discussed a number of the themes and
points made in his book, The Moral Case
for Fossil Fuels. Epstein's remarks considered how energy had changed the
world, and how fossil fuels would continue
to deliver cheap, reliable and abundant
energy to more than 7 billion people.
Another key topic with particular relevance to the entire Appalachian Basin
that the convention addressed was the
announcement by Shell Chemical Appalachia about the company's plans to

The 2016 Shale Insight Conference drew nearly 1,300 attendees. Presentations covered
a variety of topics, including natural gas demand, regulatory challenges, and fossil
fuels' critical contribution to modern life.

100 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

construct an ethane cracker in Pennsylvania. During a presentation on the subject,
OOGA past president Jerry James discussed the Shale Crescent USA marketing
effort. Shale Crescent USA is encouraging
business growth in the Mid-Ohio Valley,
James observed, thanks to the area's proximity to petrochemical facilities, abundant
natural gas supplies, and the Ohio River.
These resources create an ideal location
for manufacturing plants, he said.
Rounding out the conference was a
keynote speech by Republican presidential
nominee Donald Trump, who accepted a
speaking invitation that was extended to
both major-party candidates. Trump talked
about energy's importance to the United
States' national defense, economy, and
small towns. He went on to express plans
to eliminate excessive regulatory burdens,
expand trading opportunities, and lift federal restrictions on energy development,
if he won the presidency.
"America is sitting on a treasure trove
of untapped energy," Trump described.
"It is all an upside for this country: more
jobs, more revenue, more wealth, higher
wages and lower energy prices."
All of the speakers and panelists pro-

MIKE CHADSEY serves as director
of public relations for the Ohio Oil &
Gas Association, a position in which
he assists OOGA with media efforts
and continues the association's efforts
to create and build relationships with
Ohio's local elected, community, and
business leaders. Prior to joining
OOGA, he served as director of Energy
In Depth-Ohio, a grass-roots advocacy,
research and education initiative organized in support of responsible oil
and gas development. Chadsey has
served in a variety of roles at the
local and state levels, working for
various campaigns and office holders
since 1997. He is a graduate of Kent
State University, with a B.A. in political
science.

American Oil and Gas Reporter - November 2016

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