March 24, 2022
TXOGA’s involvement in two events this week in different parts of the state showcased the important role our state’s oil and natural gas industry – from East Texas to the Gulf Coast and everywhere in between – plays on the global stage.
The 11th Annual Northeast Texas Energy Summit took place in Tyler at the Green Acres Crosswalk Conference Center on Tuesday, March 22. This year’s Summit, Texas Energy Matters, focused largely on the inherent need for affordable, reliable energy and the consequences of living without it.
Hosted by the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, the Summit kicked off with introductory remarks and a blessing from Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Wayne Christian.
Todd Staples, President of the Texas Oil & Gas Association, served as the Summit’s first distinguished speaker who gave an update on Texas oil and natural gas and its role in today’s global circumstances. If Texas were its own country, it would be the third largest natural gas producer and fourth largest crude oil producer in the world, Staples noted, giving Texas a tremendous responsibility to lead the way in meeting our global energy needs.
“A year ago, many people were questioning the future of oil and natural gas. Today, people are questioning if they have a future without oil and natural gas. A decade ago, countries in Europe traded energy security for energy ideology. Now they are in a weakened condition with grave consequences. We cannot let that happen to the United States of America. Texas can lead the way,” Staples said.
While many have argued that a transition away from fossil fuels is needed to make environmental progress, Staples provided evidence as to why those who fight for environmental progress should fight for Texas oil and natural gas. According to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as reported recently by the Houston Chronicle, CO2 emissions in the U.S. decreased over 8% from 2010-2019 while they rose in China and Russia by over 25% and 21% during the same period. “No one produces the oil and natural gas the world needs in a more environmentally responsible way than American producers,” said Staples.
Staples concluded with an urgency to reset American energy policy and a request for the Administration to “unleash American energy leadership” and “start treating oil and natural gas in our country as an asset – not a liability.”
The very next day in Southeast Texas, guests gathered at the Solomon P. Ortiz International Center for the second installment of TXOGA’s Coastal Energy Series, an effort that connects leaders around Texas’ Coastal Bend Region with representatives from the local oil and natural gas industry to discuss issues at large and the importance of industry activity to the region, our state, nation and globe.
After an opportunity to network, audience members were provided an update from keynote speaker Garrett Golding, Business Economist for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, on the movements in energy markets seen today and the variables creating them. In his role, Golding analyzes trends in energy markets, geopolitics and the U.S. Shale Oil and Gas Sector. Topics discussed ranged from the pressures on retail fuels, to the situation in Europe and what energy security at home looks like, to the addition of newer energy sources and what that means for the commodities markets.
“While the mix of sources we derive our energy from is shifting, global growth demands more energy in every form,” Golding noted.
The Coastal Energy Series will continue throughout the year on a quarterly basis, roving to key locations across Texas’ Southern Coast, including the Rio Grande Valley, the Eagle Ford and additional areas of the Coastal Bend.