Wildcatter Weekly August 23, 2007
posted on: Aug 12, 2007
IPAMS Meetings & Announcements
Join over 1,000 other Western Sportsmen in signing Conservation in Action’s Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development Petition
Tired of so-called conservation and sportsmen’s groups who want to end energy development in the Intermountain West claiming to speak for you? Help counter the claims of these groups who use Western sportsmen as pawns in their political agenda! If you are a hunter and/or fisherman and support responsible energy development in the Intermountain West, please take just a moment to sign this online petition and be sure to forward this link to fellow sportsmen.
Update: In its latest attempt to hinder energy development in the Intermountain West, the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) filed suit this week to stop drilling projects in Wyoming. TRCP, taking a page out of the environmental obstructionist playbook, says they are acting of the behalf of Western hunter and anglers by bringing this suit that will further limit the development of domestic oil and natural gas supplies. Click here for a list of organizations that are a part of TRCP. If you are a member of any of these groups, we encourage you to let them know that they are not speaking for you in their attempts to stop domestic energy development in the West. We also encourage you to sign the Conservation in Action Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development.
Click here to view the lawsuit filed “on behalf of Western hunters and anglers”.
Click here to sign the petition. (http://www.conservationinaction.us/about/sig.php)
IPAMS Natural Gas Luncheon
August 30, 2007
Interested in understanding flow dynamics on mid-continent and midwestern pipes as the systems stand currently and post Rockies Express West expansion 1-1-08 and again once the pipe hits Lebanon/Clarington 1-1-09? Please join IPAMS Natural Gas Committee for a luncheon roundtable discussion on “issues” (pressure limitations, meter constraints, pipe constraints, competition with mid-continent production, etc) that producers and shippers should be aware of once REX volumes reach the different systems. We have invited participants from ANR, PEPL, NGPL, Northern Natural and Southern Star to participate.
IPAMS Lunch & Learn
September 06, 2007
The next IPAMS Lunch & Learn is Thursday, September 6th (Please note that this date has changed.) at 11:30 a.m. Monica Deromedi with the Coalbed Natural Gas Alliance will give an overview of the alliance’s activities in the Intermountain West. Lunch & Learn sessions are conducted in the John D. Hershner room, in the Wells Fargo Bank Building, 1700 Lincoln, Denver, CO. There is no charge to attend Lunch & Learn, but seating is limited so please register. Please bring a lunch. For more information, contact Jon Bargas.
Click here to register for this event.
Energy Finance Discussion Group—Wayne Williamson with Plexus Capital
September 11, 2007
With the summer coming to a close, it’s time for Energy Finance Discussion Group Breakfast again. The first meeting of the season will be Tuesday, September 11th at 7:30 a.m. at Restaurant Kevin Taylor at the Hotel Teatro. Wayne Williamson, Managing Partner for Plexus Capital, will present an overview of capital choices for private E&P companies, and factors affecting your cost of capital. Following 12 years of intense schooling, mentoring and high expectations from two of the Denver E&P community’s finest, Don Wolf and Alex Cranberg, Wayne formed Plexus Capital in 2002 to assist companies in sourcing debt and equity capital. This year, Plexus will surpass $1 billion in cumulative capital formation. Contact Natalie Willms for more information.
Aaron Harber of USA TalkNetwork to speak at IPAMS Distinguished Speaker Series
September 13, 2007
Aaron Harber, the host of “The Aaron Harber Show” (previously “Spontaneous Combustion”), will be the guest speaker for IPAMS next Distinguished Speaker Series and will address “Why Everyone Hates Energy Companies.” Mr. Harber has been selected to become the host for “Blind Justice” — a critical examination of America’s Legal System. Since 1998, he also has served as the on-camera Political Analyst for CW2 of the CW Network (previously Tribune Broadcasting station KWGN/WB2 – part of the Warner Brothers Network). He is a columnist for the State’s major political publication, “The Colorado Statesman,” as well as a regular weekly columnist for The Denver Daily News. Register early to save money on registration. The regular luncheon fee is $40. If you register after the cut-off date, September 7th, it is $45 and if you register the day of the event or at the door registration is $50. The luncheon will be held at the Brown Palace Hotel in Denver from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Please contact Natalie Willms with any questions about this event. IPAMS Distinguished Speaker Series is a bi-monthly informational luncheon series. Join us in Denver to hear well-known and engaging speakers and to network with members of the oil & gas industry in the Intermountain West.
Click here to register for this event.
2007 Denver Prospect Fair & Technofest
November 05, 2007
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG), the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen (DAPL), the Denver Geophysical Society (DGS) and the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States (IPAMS) invite prospect exhibitors, software developers, data vendors, and service companies to share their prospect ideas, new technologies and latest services with oil and gas professionals. This event will be held on Monday, November 5, 2007 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. The admission fee for attendees is $30.00 payable on site. Exhibitors may also purchase promotional admission vouchers with your booth registration to distribute to friends, associates—anyone you’d like to invite by your booth! There is also a new program at the 2007 Denver Prospect Fair & Technofest; The Technology and Prospect Theatre. The Theatre is a new concept providing a venue for continuous informal presentations in the exhibit hall as a service to the participants. This is an opportunity to introduce your company or your new technology to over 1000 oil and gas industry representatives from the Intermountain West in attendance.
For more information on exhibiting, sponsoring, advertising or simply attending, please visit http://www.denverpftf.org/
Visit westernenergyalliance.org for Latest Industry News & Events
Visit www.westernenergyalliance.org for the latest news affecting the Intermountain West’s oil and natural gas industry. Headlines are updated daily from local, national, and international news sources. Click here to read the latest industry news.
Other Upcoming Meetings:
Colorado Basin Advisors Network – August 29th, 10:00 MDT
New Mexico Basin Advisors Network – August 30th, 10:00 MDT
Piceance Basin Working Group – September 6th, 10:00 – 12:00, Ramada Inn, Glenwood Springs
Utah Basin Advisors Network – September 11th, 10:00 at IPAMS.
The West
Oversupply still hurting oil producers in Rockies
August 21, 2007
Rocky Mountain oil producers are still smarting from an 18-month supply glut that has left their petroleum priced well below national averages. “It was a perfect storm that came together and really sent prices down,” said Frazier, who also serves as a Montana representative for the Independent Petroleum Association of Mountain States. “Everyone pretty much had to grit their teeth and deal with it.”
Rocky Mountain Crude Oil Market Dynamics Summit – The Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) Chairman, Governor John Hoeven, is hosting a summit on the crude oil bottleneck in the Rocky Mountain Region September 4–5 in Denver, CO. This summit is the result of interest regarding an IOGCC task force final report, “Rocky Mountain Region Crude Oil Market Dynamics,” that was produced in January 2007. All parties with an interest in the region’s crude oil infrastructure are invited to attend. IOGCC is seeking sponsors for the summit. The agenda, registration, and sponsorship information is available at http://www.iogcc.state.ok.us/events.html.
The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service are hosting an interactive satellite broadcast for those parties involved in preparing documents related to oil and gas development on Federal public lands at 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Mountain Time, Thursday, September 13, 2007 at BLM State and Field Offices The Bureau of Land Management, an agency of the Interior Department, and the Forest Service, an agency of the Agriculture Department, are hosting a live satellite broadcast to inform any and all interested parties about recent revisions to a set of regulations collectively known as Onshore Oil and Gas Order No. 1. Those responsible for preparing related documentation, such as Applications for Permits to Drill (APDs), will find the broadcast most useful; however, all members of the public are invited to attend. Information on new APD processing timelines, off-lease access, and geospatial databases – as well as information on how BLM and Forest Service rights-of-way work – will also be covered during the broadcast, which will include an interactive question-and-answer session.
Colorado
The next Northwest Colorado Oil and Gas Forum is scheduled for September 13, 2007, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Rifle, CO. The NW CO Oil and Gas Forum is an informal meeting of local, state, and federal government officials, oil and gas industry representatives, and citizens that has been holding regularly scheduled meetings since 1989. The purpose of the Forum is to share information about oil and gas development in the northwest Colorado area and to make government officials and oil and gas industry representatives easily accessible to the public. Currently the meetings are conducted once per quarter and are co-chaired by COGCC Director Brian Macke and Garfield County Commissioner Larry McCown. All parties wishing to be placed on the meeting agenda should contact Jaime Adkins at 970-285- 9000 or via email at: jaime.adkins@state.co.us.
The Colorado Greater Sage-grouse Conservation draft plan is now available for public review and comment. The Division of Wildlife is hoping that the numerous stakeholders and interested parties involved in Greater Sage-grouse conservation will take this opportunity to review this Plan. The review and comment period ends August 31, 2007. (Notice: This deadline has been extended from July 31, 2007) The purpose of this plan is to facilitate the conservation of greater sage-grouse and their habitats in Colorado. It identifies conservation measures and strategies to achieve this purpose. Click here to view the plan. Contact Andrew Bremner if you would like to help coordinate IPAMS’ comments.
The Annual CLUB 20 Fall Meetings are scheduled for September 7th and 8th at the Two Rivers Convention Center-Grand Junction. On Friday will be the CLUB 20 Executive Meeting followed by CLUB 20’s Board meetings. Policies from many of the 11 CLUB 20 committees will be presented during the Friday Board Meetings. On Friday evening CLUB 20 will host the always-anticipated CLUB 20 BBQ at Cross Orchards Living History Farms in Grand Junction. Saturday morning’s program will be focusing on Education in Colorado grades P-20. Governor Bill Ritter will be the luncheon keynote speaker on Saturday. The Governor will be speaking on his P-20 Education Commission and on his Colorado Promise to Education. Pre-registration for the event is encouraged and applications for the two-day event are on line at www.club20.org
Interview: Meg Collins
August 19, 2007
Meg Collins says one of her priorities in her new position will be to highlight the economic impact of the energy industry in Colorado. “We’re a $23 billion-a-year industry, we employ 71,000 people and the average salary is $65,000.” (Denver Post)
COGA conference puts global warming on front burner
August 20, 2007
Natural gas could be a big part of curbing global warming, energy executives were told at the Aug. 13-15 annual conference sponsored by the Colorado Oil & Gas Association. When burned, natural gas releases about 25 percent less carbon dioxide per million Btus than does gasoline and about 45 percent less CO2 than does coal, according to the federal Energy Information Agency. (Denver Business Journal)
Colorado looks at new rules on oil, gas
August 17, 2007
The larger, more diverse commission overseeing Colorado’s surging oil and gas industry will be balanced and professional and will seek input from the industry as new regulations are developed, the state’s natural resources chief said this week. (Associated Press)
Meis: Put more pieces of mineral pie on table
August 20, 2007
One of the heads of the mineral revenue interim committee’s working group said he is concerned state agencies are steering the panel’s work away from touching various parts of Colorado’s mineral revenue receipts. (Daily Sentinel)
Penry wants fair share of energy bucks
August 20, 2007
State Sen. Josh Penry, R-Fruita, said Saturday that he hopes to push federal lawmakers to consider increasing the amount of federal mineral leasing dollars returned to energy-affected states, including Colorado. (Daily Sentinel)
Dunes drilling project to face environmental impact study
August 17, 2007
A proposal to drill for oil and gas near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve will have to go through an environmental analysis by the federal government. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which manages the surface of the proposed drilling site at the Baca National Wildlife Refuge, said earlier this month it would begin the analysis with a public meeting today in Crestone. (Pueblo Chieftain)
Evaporative ponds the pits, public says; regulation considered
August 22, 2007
During the Mesa County Commissioners’ recent round of Energy Master Plan meetings, the public expressed concerns over evaporative pits — open ponds for waste from oil and gas drilling. (Daily Sentinel)
Energy, mining tax pie tilted
August 22, 2007
Some Colorado counties are getting more drilling and mining severance tax money returned than they generate, leaving other, more heavily impacted communities shorted, a state audit has found. (Rocky Mountain News)
Some Grass Mesa property owners dispute gas plan offer
August 23, 2007
Property owners in Grass Mesa south of Rifle voted to accept an offer by EnCana Oil and Gas that would speed up the company’s natural-gas drilling program near and on their property, and give their homeowners association $375,000 for road maintenance. (Daily Sentinel)
North Dakota
The 26th Annual Meeting of the North Dakota Petroleum Council will be September 18–20 in Medora, North Dakota. This year’s meeting begins with an extra day of golf on Tuesday, September 18 at the Bully Pulpit Golf Course. We have reserved tee times from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. for you to golf with friends or business associates. The special rate for Petroleum Council meeting registrants is $63.50, which includes lunch, green fees, and cart. An evening reception is planned for Tuesday night at the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame starting at 6:30 p.m. The Oil Pac Golf Event will be held Wednesday at the Bully Pulpit. Other activities are available for non-golfers, such as lunch at the historic Rough Riders Hotel, a tour of the Chateau de Mores, and horseback trail rides. The Wednesday evening social will begin in the community center at 6:00 p.m. with the Chairman’s Banquet and entertainment to follow. Thursday includes a full program of speakers, including Lynn Westfall, Tesoro Petroleum; Lynn Helms, Department of Mineral Resources; and Bill Rozett, API. More details and registration is available at http://www.ndoil.org/content/view/72/93/.
The proposed 2008 rules changes from the Department of Mineral Resources are now available. The public hearing on these changes will be held September 4th at 9:00 a.m. followed by a 10-day written comment period. The North Dakota Petroleum Council will be making comments at the September 4th hearing and we would like to incorporate your thoughts or concerns. Please forward any comments you may have on these changes to Ron Ness (ronness@ndoil.org) by Friday, August 24.
Utah
BLM alters Utah lease sale
August 20, 2007
This week, Bureau of Land Management officials in Utah removed 29 parcels from its Aug. 21 oil and gas lease sale because of concerns about mule deer and sage grouse habitat after an appeal by the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. This is the third time this year BLM has removed parcels it planned to offer and admitted its failure to conduct proper analyses, the partnership’s Tim Zink noted. “It’s great they’ve pulled these parcels, but why’d it take outside overseers to point out they’re not following the law?” he asked. (E & E News)
Utes meet to air concerns
August 21, 2007
Two factions of the Ute Indian Tribe at odds with each other held meetings last week. One group listened to their elected leaders answer questions and came up with six “recommendations” they will submit to the governing Business Committee for possible adoption. The other group, identifying themselves as a “coalition” of concerned tribal members, turned to the tribal financial advisor John Jurrius for instruction. After hearing from him they vowed to seek the removal of their elected leaders, going so far as to collect money to pay for an attorney to jumpstart the process. (Uinta Basin Standard)
Wyoming
Group sues to block project
August 21, 2007
Concerning the impact to wildlife, there’s no disagreement. Yet there is a lawsuit. The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership filed suit against the U.S. Department of Interior on Friday over the authorization of 2,000 new oil and gas wells in south-central Wyoming. (Star Tribune)
Click here to view the lawsuit.
Boom brings more drowsy drivers
August 20, 2007
Wyoming’s churning energy economy has yielded riches for entrepreneurs, tax wealth for the state and lots of jobs. It may also be making state highways more dangerous. (Star Tribune)
Energy boom helps boost child support collections
August 21, 2007
Wyoming’s energy boom has not only helped the state’s budget, it has increased payments to single parents who collect child support. (Star Tribune)
Washington Watch
The EPA will hold five public hearings on the proposed ‘‘National Ambient Air Quality Standards for Ozone’’ rule. The EPA is proposing to make revisions to the primary and secondary national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for ozone to provide protection of public health. The hearings will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Los Angeles, California on Thursday, August 30, 2007, and in Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; and Houston, Texas on Wednesday, September 5, 2007. All hearings last from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, but will go longer depending on the number of speakers registered before 9:00 pm. Breaks will occur from 12:30 to 2:00 and 6:00 to 7:30. The hearing in Houston will be on Wednesday, September 5, in the Emerald Rooms 4 & 5, Houston Marriot West Loop by the Galleria, 1750 West Loop South, (713) 960–0111. If you would like to present testimony at the hearings, please notify Tricia Crabtree, crabtree.tricia@epa.gov, (919) 541–5688.
Congress Approval Rating Matches Historical Low
August 21, 2007
A new Gallup Poll finds Congress’ approval rating the lowest it has been since Gallup first tracked public opinion of Congress with this measure in 1974. Just 18% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, while 76% disapprove, according to the August 13-16, 2007, Gallup Poll. (Gallup news release)
BLM floats revised Alaskan drilling plans
August 20, 2007
The Bureau of Land Management unveiled revised plans today for oil and gas leasing in the 4.6-million-acre northeast portion of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. The new draft plan — prepared in response to a court decision that found an earlier version deficient — amends the analysis of how energy development would affect an area that is rich in wildlife and contains potentially large volumes of oil. The court last year found BLM’s final plan failed to sufficiently address the “cumulative impacts” of energy development. (E & E News)
Click here to see the revised northeast NPR-A plan.
Media Watch
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel:
Laying waste to Colorado no way to fund government
August 19, 2007
You could have bowled me over with a feather. There was Grand Junction state Rep. Steve King, at the close of a luncheon hosted by University of Colorado President Hank Brown and attended by three dozen or so area residents Monday afternoon, warning that the state’s system of higher education is likely to face deep, deep trouble not too many years down the road. (Daily Sentinel column)
Billings Gazette:
Rehberg opposes real energy reform
August 21, 2007
I recently surfed over to the congressional Web site of Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg to see if there was any news regarding his votes on the major energy bill that recently passed the House. (Billings Gazette guest column)
BLM should heed protests about leasing
August 18, 2007
Compulsion” is defined as “an irresistible impulse to perform some act.” When the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, a national conservation coalition, recently filed a formal protest of Bureau of Land Management plans to lease 127 parcels in Montana’s Garfield and McCone counties, it was responding to this kind of overpowering urge. (Billings Gazette guest column)
Environment and Wildlife
Sign Conservation in Action’s Sportsmen for Responsible Energy Development Petition
Tired of so-called conservation and sportsmen’s groups who want to end energy development in the Intermountain West claiming to speak for you? Help counter the claims of these groups who use Western sportsmen as pawns in their political agenda! If you are a hunter and/or fisherman and support responsible energy development in the Intermountain West, please take just a moment to sign this online petition and be sure to forward this link to fellow sportsmen.
Click here to sign the petition.
President orders hunting focus
August 23, 2007
A new presidential executive order has directed federal agencies to promote expansion and enhancement of hunting opportunities on federal lands and the management of game species and their habitat. (Star Tribune)
Click here to read President Bush’s Executive Order.
Gov to industry: Back wildlife efforts
August 23, 2007
Wyoming’s oil and gas producers see the political and literal landscape around them changing. Though the industry has proven itself adept to technological and environmental challenges in the field, it hasn’t done as well on the political side, according to Gov. Dave Freudenthal. (Star Tribune)
Permits to drill outside grouse habitat considered first
August 18, 2007
Oil and gas operators who have good sage grouse habitat on land they want to drill will go to the back of the line for federal permits. (News Record)
Feds deny petition for bison listing
August 20, 2007
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has denied a private citizen’s petition to list the Yellowstone bison as an endangered species. (Associated Press)
Bears by the numbers
August 21, 2007
Whether a grizzly bear becomes famous or infamous, or lives anonymously in some remote wilderness, often depends on location and luck. (Star Tribune)
Norway’s Moose Population in Trouble for Belching
August 22, 2007
The poor old Scandinavian moose is now being blamed for climate change, with researchers in Norway claiming that a grown moose can produce 2,100 kilos of methane a year — equivalent to the CO2 output resulting from a 13,000 kilometer car journey. (Spiegel)
Freudenthal urges sage grouse actions
August 23, 2007
Current and past experiences with the Endangered Species Act seem to have convinced the oil and gas industry to adapt activities to conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat. (Star Tribune)
Markets
Experts: Pipeline to boost consumer prices
August 19, 2007
Expansion of a natural gas pipeline from the Rockies to Ohio will likely boost profits for gas companies and prices for area consumers, an energy market expert said. (Associated Press)
Company eyes pipeline expansion
August 22, 2007
The California natural gas market is primed to receive more supply from the Rockies, and Kern River Gas Transmission Co. is considering an expansion of its Wyoming-to-California pipeline connection. (Star Tribune)
Shell Alaska drilling project blocked by US appeals court
August 20, 2007
A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that Royal Dutch Shell PLC (NYSE:RDS A) must further postpone plans for exploratory drilling off the northern coast of Alaska. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also indicated that environmental and Alaska Native groups have a good chance of prevailing in their effort to keep the energy giant out of the Beaufort Sea. (NewsTex)
Western oil group eyes assets in Iraq
August 23, 2007
A large western oil company has offered $700m for oil assets in Iraqi Kurdistan owned by DNO, the small Norwegian oil company. The offer signals that international oil companies are willing to put significant amounts of money into Iraq in spite of the security problems and lack of a legal framework. (Financial Times)
Technology and Alternative and Renewable Energy
Green consumption grew 7 percent last year – EIA
August 22, 2007
The nation’s renewable energy consumption grew by roughly 7 percent in 2006, fueled by increases in hydropower, ethanol and wind energy, according to new Energy Information Administration figures. The preliminary 2006 statistics show total renewable energy consumption at 6.844 quadrillion British thermal units, or nearly 7 percent of total U.S. energy consumption, which is a slightly higher share than in 2005. Overall U.S. energy consumption declined by 1 percent, largely due to slightly lower consumption of coal, natural gas and petroleum, EIA said. Hydropower, which represents more than 40 percent of renewable consumption, had the greatest absolute change with an additional 186 trillion Btu, representing a nearly 7 percent increase, according to EIA data. But wind power and ethanol, which account for smaller shares of overall consumption, grew at much faster rates. Biofuels consumption increased by 28 percent and wind power consumption increased by 45 percent, according to EIA. (E & E News)
County gets wind farm proposal
August 23, 2007
Two things are certain in southwest Wyoming these days. The natural gas flows. And the wind blows. (Star Tribune)
Industry News and Events
Pioneer sells Canadian operations for $540M
August 23, 2007
Pioneer Natural Resources Co. said today it will sell all of the common stock of its Canadian subsidiary, Pioneer Natural Resources Canada Inc., to Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (ADSM: TAQA) for $540 million. Irving, Texas-based Pioneer (NYSE: PXD) said it plans to use proceeds from the divestiture to reduce debt and for other corporate purposes. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter, pending regulatory approval. (E & E News)
The Montana Petroleum Association’s Annual Meeting will be August 27th – 29th at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Billings. The meeting begins on Monday the 27th with a Wildlife Forum featuring officials from the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks division, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the BLM, and the DOI; and Renee Taylor, the wildlife biologist who has conducted research that refutes assertions that energy development is harming sage grouse in the Powder River Basin. Other festivities include fishing on the Big Horn River, a golf tournament, and the Petroleum Industry Appreciation Day luncheon. For room reservations call 800-588-7666 or 406-252-7400 and ask for the Montana Petroleum Association room block. The room block is released on Monday, August 1. If the Crowne Plaza is full, the Clocktower Inn is just a block from the hotel. Their phone number is 406-238-1797. Please ask for the Montana Petroleum Association room rate of $72.00. MPA also has a negotiated rate with the Springhill Suites (Marriott), however it is located about five miles from the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the west end. Ask for the “Petroleum Association” rate. For more information visit the MPA website or email mpa@montanapetroleum.org.
The Rockies Energy Workforce Collaborative (REWC) (of which IPAMS is a member) recently met to discuss strategies that address shortages of skilled workers for energy and process technology jobs in the Rockies. The REWC focuses on sharing information on the existing and emerging needs of the industry, including the number and type of jobs throughout the region; determining training needs of the region to meet current and future workforce needs; supporting efforts to leverage training resources; developing information needed by workforce boards, economic development groups, education institutions and potential employers; and fostering cooperative efforts to build a diverse energy talent pipeline through job fairs, high school presentations, and recruitment within and outside the region. The REWC region include seven states—Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Texas. The next REWC meeting is scheduled for November 8 in Price, Utah. To view API’s Rockies Energy Workforce website, click here: http://www.rockiesenergyworkforce.org/. To learn more about the Rockies Energy Workforce Collaborative or to become a member, contact James Crandall with API at crandallj@api.org or (202) 682-8475.
Managing Upstream Project Risks: IMA & Fulbright Breakfast Seminar
September 12, 2007
Risks in upstream oil and gas projects take many forms, and managing them is a top priority at all levels within an exploration and production company, including the board of directors, chief executives, operations and financial officers, legal counsel, landmen and line personnel. Effective risk management requires careful planning and an understanding of available risk management tools and techniques. This focused and timely seminar will analyze and discuss current corporate and project risk issues facing the upstream oil and gas industry, with practical suggestions for designing and implementing risk management solutions for transactions in today’s rapidly growing energy sector. The distinguished panel of insurance and legal experts will share insights and perspectives on a variety of topics
Air Quality Challenges Facing the Natural Resources Industry in the Western United States
Presented by the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation , November 1-2, 2007
Click here for an agenda and registration information.
Sponsorships needed for energy education effort
“The Energy Roundtable” is a new television series being produced by USA Talk Network, Inc. The nonpartisan series already has had SHELL Oil (U.S.A.) President John Hofmeister and CHEVRON Vice-Chairman Peter Robertson as guests. The next two programs will seek to educate citizens about the life cycle of energy products and services so consumers understand the many extraordinary efforts made preceding their decisions to turn up the heat, turn on an air conditioner, or fill a gas tank. This educational effort is critically important to all members of our industry. If you have a suggestion regarding a topic or a possible guest for “The Energy Roundtable” or would like to arrange a meeting with the producers to discuss the program, please contact Jon Bargas at IPAMS — (303) 623-0987 or jbargas@westernenergyalliance.org. We also are asking IPAMS members to consider supporting the program in some manner. The documents, below, help explain opportunities for participation. Several IPAMS members already are participating and can serve as references. Click on the links below to view some of the background documents for the project:
“The Energy Roundtable” — a one-page description of the television program
A letter of endorsement from IPAMS Executive Director Marc Smith
A letter of endorsement from Energy Literacy Project Executive Director John Tobin
A letter from USA Talk Network giving the confidential details of the project
EPA Natural Gas STAR Producers Technology Transfer Workshops This September, the Natural Gas STAR Program will offer Producer Technology Transfer Workshops in two different Colorado locations. These one-day workshops will focus on reducing methane emissions from the natural gas production sector. Participants will engage in a peer-based exchange of technical and economic information on practices currently in use today. Presentations will include detailed information that participants can use to conduct feasibility assessments of these practices at their operations.
GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO
Workshop Information
September 11th, 2007
7:30 AM-5:00 PM
Hotel Colorado
526 Pine Street
Glenwood Springs, CO 81601
(303) 623-3400
Click here to view the agendas and to register online.
DURANGO, CO
Workshop Information
September 13th, 2007
8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Strater Hotel
699 Main Avenue
Durango, CO 81301
(970) 247-4431
Click here to view the agendas and to register online.
The 14th Annual Natural Gas STAR Implementation Workshop will beheld October 23-24, 2007. This year’s workshop comes at a time of heightened interest in greenhouse gases such as methane, and is a forum for sharing solutions and optimal ways to reduce emissions. The workshop will include partner company presentations on new experiences with reducing methane emissions. Registration and the draft agenda are now available on the gas STAR web site. To register for this year’s workshop, please click here.
The Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists (RMAG) and the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council (PTTC) are proud to host a full day symposium on the topic of Structural Concepts and Applications with regard to hydrocarbon plays in the Rockies on Friday, September 14th at the Grand Hyatt, 1750 Welton St., Denver. Advances in structural concepts and applications provide new opportunities for Rocky Mountain hydrocarbon exploration and development. This symposium will feature examples of active Rockies Plays with diverse structural aspects. There will be a morning session summarizing current structural concepts and introducing new tools, and an afternoon session with presentations of specific petroleum applications. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Victor Ramos of the University of Buenos Aires Laboratorio de Tectonica Andina, who wil discuss ‘Andean insights into the Rockies – the interplay between ridge collision, arc magnetism, basin formation, and deformation.’ On September 15th, there will be an optional field trip to the Golden-Boulder Flatirons Area to view the complex thrust and triangle zone structures of a typical Laramide basin boundary. For more information and registration, visit www.rmag.org or call (303) 573-8621.
Misc. Content
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