Kyle McGraw
Well, at the writing of this article, the Permian Basin, specifically Midland and Odessa, are still abuzz with the excitement of a Presidential visit. From those who lined the Airport perimeter fence to catch a glimpse of Airforce One’s arrival, to those who lined the streets of Odessa to see the impressive motorcade of black Chevy Suburbans transporting secret service agents, state and national officials, and our most esteemed Commander in Chief. To those who enjoyed the fabulous luncheon at the Odessa Convention Center and then those who endured the West Texas heat to attend the Presidential speech tour of a Double Eagle drilling rig near Greenwood in Midland County. And finally, to those who waved goodbye as Airforce One departed the Basin sometime after 5 p.m. Most who witnessed this magnificent event went away enthused and excited to be a part of the Permian Basin energy economy and more importantly proud to be Americans.
It’s rare to be near and interact with the President of the United States, and for me, it has always been something that makes me very proud to be an American. I was able to attend an event with George W. Bush in 2008 when he came to Midland. It was very inspiring to hear him tell about his experiences through 9/11 and it was very clear to see that he was a humble yet strong leader. Then during Obama’s Presidency my family was visiting Rome, Italy, during a large international event that had dignitaries from all over the world present. As luck would have it, my family stood at the curb as the presidential motorcade of black Suburbans and armed security rushed past with President Obama in tow. Even though I did not agree with all of President Obama’s policies, he was my President and my pride swelled to see the American presence while in a foreign country.
So, with these fond memories of presidential encounters in mind, my wife and I were happy to sign up and contribute for the opportunity to see and hear President Trump. We were not disappointed. It was a well spent four hours. As I mentioned, the food at the Odessa Convention Center was wonderful. The venue is very large and social distancing and safety were foremost. The eight place tables were only set for four and the distance between the tables generous. All guests wore masks and all servers wore gloves and masks. This had a “fundraiser” feel and not a “Trump Rally” feel. The speakers were amazing, with Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Secretary of Energy Rick Perry, and Gov. Gregg Abbott giving outstanding welcoming speeches about the importance of this upcoming election. President Trump was much more impressive than I anticipated. He was relaxed and comfortable, giving a 30-minute speech without notes. He assured the audience of his support of the energy industry and how important it was that the United States had become the largest producer in the world, thanks to the Permian Basin.
The contrast between Trump and Biden in their support of the energy industry could not be more extreme. Trump values the jobs, he values the cheap reliable energy source, he values our energy security, and he is not preoccupied with climate change and the possibility of mankind’s causation. He understands the need for reduced regulation and the balance between endangered species and the need to develop oil and gas reserves.
Biden on the other hand has been extremely vocal in is disdain for the oil and gas industry. I’ve heard him say he’d like to ban frac’ing. But in the Democratic energy platform that was crafted with input from Bernie Sanders they do not mention the ban of frac’ing. Which is a relief for the industry. They do want to ban new leasing on public lands, which would have an impact in Southeast New Mexico. They do want to require aggressive methane pollution limits, they do want to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement, which is bad for America and not a solution to any problem. They do want to spend $400 billion over ten years on clean energy and innovation, which amounts to major subsidies for solar and wind that will still require a fully redundant natural gas industry to supply electrical power cheaply and reliably during the solar and wind downtimes. Biden would prefer alternative energy jobs over oil and gas industry jobs.
From an energy industry perspective, the two candidates could not be more opposite. However, it is the policy of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association to not endorse any party or candidate. We do, however, always intend to provide information to our membership which could impact their operations in the Permian Basin. It is then up to you, the experienced and educated members of the PBPA, to go the ballot box in November and vote for the candidate you think would be best for the United States and best for the Permian Basin.