The transition from conventional play to unconventional play has become the defining mark of the revitalized Permian Basin’s oil and gas industry—a transition that poses both rewards and challenges. The Permian Basin is going through a transformation from exploration for conventional reservoirs to targeting tight unconventional reservoirs. As a result, the Permian Basin is an […]
Keeping Regulations in Check
Proposed changes to Rule 13 and other regulations could severely impact the industry. What should we expect from Washington, Austin and Santa Fe now that the elections are over? From my view, we should expect increased proposed regulations for our industry from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Department of Interior (DOI), U.S. Fish and Wildlife […]
From the Chairman of the Board
This organization’s influence extends beyond its geographic boundaries, and beyond its day-to-day obligations, as well. You ever jump out of the frying pan into the fire? This being my last article as Chairman of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, I was thinking that in passing the position of Chairman on to Mark Merritt there would […]
From the Chairman of the Board
Nothing “Lesser” about the LPC Challenge Experience could serve the PBPA well as we transition from the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard dustup to the Lesser Prairie Chicken skirmish. Well, here we go again! The ink is barely dry on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department’s ruling on the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard and the Permian Basin Petroleum […]
From the Chairman of the Board
Must the “boom-to-bust cycle” always play out true to form? It might depend on whether the “boom” is itself really a boom, or something else. When is a boom not a boom? The usual answer is that a boom becomes a bust when crude oil prices fall out from underneath us. We have all lived […]
From the Chairman of the Board
A ruling in mid-June rewards months and even years of diligent effort by Permian Basin energy interests and this region on the whole. At the time of this article being written, June 13th, we have received word that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has made the decision not to list the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard […]
From the Chairman of the Board
Economic Analysis In any public debate, being able to quantify the real stakes is the first step toward a fair and accurate resolution. It is said that a rolling stone gathers no moss. However, here in the Permian Basin it appears that a rolling stone rolls faster and faster. As the resources plays continue […]
Land of Opportunity
Spring has sprung, everyone is praying for rain and it looks like another hot dry summer is on the way. That’s the bad news and now the good news. Jobs are so plentiful that someone would have to work at remaining unemployed. The Wolfberry resource play has leaped the Midland Shelf to the Wolfbone play […]
From the Chairman of the Board
Deserving of an Industry’s Gratitude One of the strengths of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association has been a long-established reputation as an association that is reasonable and well thought out in the positions that we present before the Texas legislature and other regulatory agencies. A big part of that reputation is PBPA’s ability to work […]
Toward an Unspoiled Future
I don’t often recommend movies, and certainly haven’t done so in this column. However, there are always exceptions. Mark Mathis, director of what will hopefully become a movie sensation, gave the folks in Midland and Odessa the opportunity to view his production of spOILed. I viewed spOILed on a Thursday afternoon at a 2:30 showing […]