Ben Shepperd,
PBPA President
While this space is generally reserved for a monthly President’s Message from Ben Shepperd, President of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, we are devoting this month’s installment to a Q&A with Ben (below) on PBPA’s Annual Meeting, which this year lands on Sept. 29 and 30.
On the 29th, which is a Wednesday, the membership holds its customary welcome reception at the Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas. This occasion runs from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Food and drinks are provided and the event is given over to socializing and networking. For information on the Petroleum Museum, which is a best-of-its-kind institution located at 1500 Interstate 20 West, visit their website at PetroleumMuseum.org.
On Thursday the 30th, the speaker and panel sessions run all day (7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) at the Petroleum Club at 501 West Wall Street in downtown Midland. For more information on the Petroleum Club, visit PCMidland.com.
Q&A:
Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine: After a year (2020) when the Annual Meeting was held virtually, due to COVID, we are back to an in-person meeting, and attendees are sure to have much to hear about and talk about. Ben, can you give us some idea of what people might expect?
Ben: Yes. We have some great speakers lined up, and great sessions. Thursday morning starts off with our traditional Texas/New Mexico breakfast. It’s served buffet style. Once breakfast gets under way, we’ll hear a speaker from each of the two states we serve. Texas Railroad Commission member Wayne Christian has agreed to be our speaker for the Texas portion. We have an invitation out to a New Mexico official to fill that part of the lineup, but I can’t release the name because this person has not confirmed yet. [This Q&A was held Aug. 13, more than six weeks prior to the Annual Meeting.]
After the breakfast, we’ll have our traditional Texas legislative panel. The participant list has not yet been finalized, but we’ll definitely have Texas State Representative Craig Goldman, who is chairman of the House Energy Committee. We’ll also have Representative Tom Craddick, former speaker of the House and someone our membership is well acquainted with.
PBOG: That gets us to mid-morning or a little later. What does the rest of the morning look like?
Ben: Then we’re going to do a panel this year that’s different from what we’ve done in the past. We want to focus on issues that are critically important to everybody in the industry. That’s why we’re going to do a panel on ESG. Environmental, Social, and Governance issues. Attendees will hear more about how people are addressing those challenges right now and some of the good work that companies and individuals have done on the ESG front.
PBOG: Do you have a luncheon keynote speaker lined up yet?
Ben: Yes. We have Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. Given the fact that the Legislature is in special sessions, and it’s only been the Senate that’s been meeting, he (Gov. Patrick) should have a lot to say.
PBOG: And what does the rest of the day look like?
Ben: After lunch, attendees will hear a panel on electricity. We’re going to cover everything from “congestion charges” in the Permian Basin to the big topic that took up so much energy in the most recent Legislature—Winter Storm Uri—to all of the new regulations and requirements for the Railroad commission, CUC, and ERCOT, to bring better stability and reliability to the power grid.
PBOG: That ought to be interesting too. And it seems like most years you end the event with a panel of oil company CEOs…
Ben: Yes, we’ll have that again as well. It’s always popular. The whole annual meeting is. It’s a great occasion for members to hear what we’re doing on the issues and what their peers are thinking.
End
Turn to page 13 of this issue for information on how to register for the event or serve as a sponsor.
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