Ben Shepperd,
PBPA President
Innovation has always been at the heart of the oil and gas industry and in particular here in the Permian Basin. No sector has been as dynamic over the last few years as water management. As the President of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association I know how important water use has been for operators across the Permian Basin and responsible water use is vital to the growth and development of our industry.
As many of you are also aware, recent seismic events occurring throughout the Permian Basin also make our efforts to innovate in this sector vital for continued operations. We support ongoing Railroad Commission of Texas orders aimed to limit and reduce the occurrence of seismic activity and other voluntary efforts operators are undertaking as well.
Utilizing and embracing new technologies that allow for treatment and reuse of water and managing the large volumes of produced water that are also incidental to drilling in the Basin will continue to be critical for operators.
This emerging area of water management has been exciting to watch unfold right here in the most active operating basin in the free world. In the Permian Basin we have seen companies experiment and develop what are now standards worldwide and that industry collaboration and cooperation is no more evident than at the Permian Basin Water in Energy Conference.
Our industry in the Permian Basin has been at the forefront of research and best practices and this mix of people will inform us all about the changing landscape and excite us all with the future of water use in the oil and gas industry.
At PBPA, we have been excited to see water management take center stage as a priority for our long time members, but we have also seen so much growth in new members that are entering this space. And with them we have learned about new technologies, and how to leverage those technologies as a greater part of holistic operations that provide cost savings and significant environmental benefits.
And this month you will have the opportunity to learn and be part of an incredible group of people: industry and community leaders, respected academics, elected officials, and more!
The Permian Basin Water in Energy Conference (PBWIEC) runs February 22-24 and includes a welcome reception at The Petroleum Museum, two days of conference sessions at the Midland County Horseshoe Arena, and a Keynote Address at the Petroleum Club. PBPA’s membership luncheon for this month is to be held at PBWIEC on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 12 noon.
I am honored to be a part of the PBWIEC organization, led by the outstanding team at The University of Texas Permian Basin, who do such excellent work in planning the event and bringing together some of the brightest minds on this issue together so that we can all learn more.
And while America’s greatest humorist once said “Whiskey is for drinking—water is for fighting” this conference is a great reminder that together we can engage with various sectors of our industry and discuss challenges, learn about solutions, and continue to develop water management systems that limit fresh water use, increase treatment and reuse, make those services more economical, and of course evaluate beneficial uses of treated water.
This event will present great networking opportunities for operators in the industry, new or old, and whether it’s visiting during the receptions or during the conference sessions, there’s something for everyone at this important conference.
Since 2017, this event has brought together the most impressive three days of opportunities for people to gather together and tackle one of the most important challenges that oil and gas operators are working on today. The Permian Basin Petroleum Association is proud to participate in this incredibly important event and I look forward to seeing you there!