Texas Oil & Gas

The Official Magazine of Texas Oil & Gas Professionals Network

DEVON ENERGY...New Ideas Unlock Unconventional Resources

Are the Russkies Funding Fractivists?

Troy Blair...Azavachy Energy

Save the Date

Living with Threatened

and Endangered

Species...

www.TexasOilGasMagazine.comwww.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

TOG App

12-06-14

creo

51

creo

TEXAS NATURAL GAS SUMMITGood Jobs, Fueling the Texas Economy.

Palmer Events Center 900 Barton Springs Road

Austin, Texas 78704

OCTOBER 23, 2014

Growing the market for natural gas vehicles in

Texas helps expand and sustain good-paying

jobs in the oil and gas sector and ensures

the use of a clean-burning fuel. In the past

year, oil and gas jobs grew nearly five percent

statewide, helping Texas lead the nation in job

creation. The Texas Natural Gas Summit will

highlight the connection between natural gas

vehicles and jobs for Texans.

For event details, please visit www.altenergy.rrc.state.tx.us/Alternative_Fuels_Events.

To register for the Fleet Manager Workshop:Art Valladares

[email protected] 512-463-3370

✔ Job Fair and Expo

✔ Fleet Manager Workshop

✔ Natural Gas Vehicle Demonstrations

To reserve a booth:Cliff [email protected]

WELCOME New MembersTOGPN Welcomes the Following:SPARKMAN FOOTE LINER, LLPAllen Sparkman, Partner

HIGHGROUNDRon E. Zimmerman, Jr., Owner

SWBC, Inc.Norman Paul, CEO

AZAVACHY ENERGYTroy Blair, OwnerMeg Blair, Owner

2014 TOGPN Calendar

SEPT 9 Membership Luncheon11:30 am

Register at: www.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

DEC 6 BLACK GOLD GALASponsorships Needed

Tickets sold at:www.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

For More Information aboutTOGPN, Contact us at 210-853-0213

or visit our website atwww.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

WE WANT YOU!!!

11

creo

CONTENTS

26 32 18

FEATURES

18 OILFIELD SUPERHEROTroy Blair...Azavachy Energy20 SHALE NEWSAre the Russkies Funding Fractivists?26 OILFIELD PROFILEDevon Energy32 OILFIELD ENVIRONMENTLiving with threatened and endan-gered species.

COLUMNS

8 Advisory Board11 New Members14 Publisher’s Letter15 Shale News...CROFT19 The REAL Housewives of the Oilfield22 Oilfield Business: Human Resources24 Oilfield Business: Innovation29 Oilfield Business: Education34 Oilfield Business: Professional Women’s Corner35 Oilfield Wellness37 Shale News: Eagle Ford Land Notes38 Oilfield Life: Travel39 Oilfield Life: Family41 Oilfield Inspiration47 News from TCEQ48 RRC Case Study: Lewis Energy49 Reports from RRC

Submit Articles to [email protected] Line: Editorial Submission (Cost $99)Please follow article submission requirements found onwww.TexasOilGasMagazine or www.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

Thank you for your submissions and comments!

Special Section

50 TOG MarketplaceBusiness Advertising

51 TOG MarketplaceDirectorycover photo source: www.devonenergy.com

12

8 Advisory Board11 New Members14 Publisher’s Letter15 Shale News...CROFT19 The REAL Housewives of the Oilfield22 Oilfield Business: Human Resources24 Oilfield Business: Innovation29 Oilfield Business: Education34 Oilfield Business: Professional Women’s Corner35 Oilfield Wellness37 Shale News: Eagle Ford Land Notes38 Oilfield Life: Travel39 Oilfield Life: Family41 Oilfield Inspiration47 News from TCEQ48 RRC Case Study: Lewis Energy49 Reports from RRC

Submit Articles to [email protected] Line: Editorial Submission (Cost $99)Please follow article submission requirements found onwww.TexasOilGasMagazine or www.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

Thank you for your submissions and comments!

A LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Publisher/Editor In ChiefJennifer P. Larivey

Graphic Design/PhotographyJennifer P. Larivey

Contributing Writers:Tom ShepstoneJennifer P. LariveyCathy BuchananMeg BlairPete McKoneJames CarterNorman PaulRon E. Zimmerman, Jr.

Business Development & MarketingPhilip Wade, VPDuke Jonietz, Lead ConsultantMelissa MarionLeah TerryLindsey GriffinDi Rogers

EventsGwynn Seewald, TOGPN MemberMeg Blair, TOGPN Board Member

Partners: Derald & Pat Harvey

For Advertising Information inTexas Oil & Gas or MembershipInformation for TOGPNcall 210-853-0213www.TexasOilGasMagazine.comwww.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

Published by: 4 X-STREAM MEDIA, INC4 Dominion Drive Bldg 4 Ste 250San Antonio, TX 78257

In this issue of TOG Magazine, I am proud to have new advertisers and contributors to our team. At TOG, we truly believe in customer service and building relationships. We are happy to also announce that we have updated our website and added a new website for our Texas Oil & Gas Professionals Network. We encourage everyone to join our TOGPN because you will see the value in being a member.

Your membership will give you the benefits of connecting with other Oil & Gas Professionals through our monthly meetings, mixers, and special events. The upcoming special events we have are the TOG Executive Leadership World Class Conference and the First Annual Black Gold Gala. These special events have sponsorship opportunities that you don’t want to miss! For more information on these events, please feel free to email us at [email protected].

Our cover story is about an Oil & Gas company that has changed the industry in so many ways. We are proud to have Devon Energy, one of the largest and most successful operators in Texas. Devon Energy has a wide variety of experience in their leadership and have a reputation for giving back to their communities. This company is one that its employ-ees are proud to be a part of.

We have featured Troy Blair as our Superhero in the field. Troy is a drill-ing consultant and owner of Azavachy Energy based in Midland/Odessa and he is available for consulting in the Eagle Ford areas as well as the Permian areas.

If you are a TOGPN member and have interesting news or case studies, please send those to us. We always want to hear from you!!

~Jennifer Larivey, Publisher & President

Texas Oil & Gas Magazine is published bi-monthly. Subscription rates: 1 year US $75 2 years US $120. Single copies are US $15 (prepayment required). Please al-low 4-6 weeks for delivery. Advertising rates furnished upon request. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to TOG Magazine 4 Dominion Drive Bldg 4 Ste 250 San Antonio, TX 78257. Telephone: 210-853-0213 Copyright Texas Oil & Gas Magazine 2014. TOG Magazine reserves the rights to editorial matter in this magazine. No article may be reproduced or transmitted in whole or in parts by any means without permission of the publisher. Federal copyright law prohibits unauthorized reproduction by any means and imposes fines of up to $25,000 for violations. Texas Oil & Gas Magazine is a subsidiary of 4 X-STREAM MEDIA, INC.While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein and the reliability of the source, the publisher in no way guarantees nor warrants the information and is not responsible for errors, omissions, or statements made by advertisers. Opinions and recommendations made by contributors or advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher, affiliates, or colleagues. Visit our website at www.TexasOilGasMagazine.com

14

creo

SHALE NEWS

There are many things that CROFT, as an oil and gas company, does well- we have out-standing engineering, state of the art manu-facturing, and superior customer service. We also have the ability to give you options with our equipment, since we customize and build to your specific wells and specifications. We have recently launched a new product, Fuel Gas Conditioning System, or FCS, that has the power to cool, dehydrate, and remove gas heavies to prevent freeze-ups of fuel lines, and clean gas for fuel and instrumentation. There are seven different types of FCS’ avail-able to purchase-just depends on the size of the well, pressure, volume, and gas that is being produced. The FCS is a combination of multiple Croft Systems combined into one package to condi-tion fuel, supply, and instrument gas on loca-tion. The FCS incorporates two of our other pieces of equipment, the Ambient Cooler System and the Passive Dehydration System. All these systems work together to utilize a pressure drop, remove the natural gas liquids from the gas stream, and then to dehydrate the gas so the dew point is reduced below pipeline specifications. The FCS removes con-densates and water to provide a dehydrated and consistent BTU for utilization in high speed engines and instrumentation. The FCS is commonly utilized after initial free liquid separation and field processing of the gas, and immediately before the generator, for the final polishing of the gas. The FCS is the only type of its kind in the oil and gas industry. Other companies sell all the components separately, which ends up being more money, materials, labor costs, and chemicals. The FCS is neatly packaged onto

a skid, with the other gas processing parts already equipped and ready to run at startup. The way that our units are engineered mean that there is minimal downtime, reduced equipment failure, and increased output. All these features save our clients time, money, and labor costs. The FCS can be utilized for those who have natural gas powered engines, burners, pneumatic controllers and instru-mentation. You won’t be able to find a equal package of this caliber in the industry. Along with prompt, professional service sup-port, and spare parts that are available from the regional service technicians, CROFT con-tinuously strives to improve quality, cost, and service. We have ASME coded pressure vessels and we are ISO9001 certified. When doing business with CROFT you can be reassured that the job will be done correctly.

CROFT is located outside of Houston, TX and services nine states and has over 60 clients. These systems are designed to be eco-friendly and with operational safety and efficiency in mind. We base our engineering on several de-cades of experience in natural gas processing. To receive more information on the systems we sell please visit our website: www.Crofts-ystems.net, call the office at 979-793-2100, or find us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Gas Processing Company Revolutionizing Equipment One Well Site at A Time

by: Cameron Croft, CEO

Save The Date

12-06-14

TOGPN is proud to announce the 1st AnnualBlack Gold

GalaEnchanted Springs Ranch

Boerne, TX

Tickets & SponsorshipsGoing Fast!!

email: [email protected]

website:www.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

Contact: 210-853-0213Jennifer Larivey, Co-Chair

Contact: 432-312-3424Meg Blair, Co-Chair

15

creo

OILFIELD SUPERHERO

TROY BLAIR, DRILLING CONSULTANTOWNER OF AZAVACHY ENERGY

ABOUT YOU:There is not too much to tell. I was raised on the Arledge ranch out in Robert Lee and eventually moved to Mineral Wells where I graduated HS. My dream was to be a ranch cowboy till I went to work for Parker Drilling one summer and loved the money. I decided I would do that instead and buy my own ranch someday. I told my dad back then I would sit out my first year of College at Sul Ross to put back money. A year later, I was drilling and had college educated men working for me. I would never see another poor day. Then came 1982. The biggest BUST most people had ever seen. I ended up working as a bouncer for Herb Graham out at the StarDust in Odessa, Texas waiting for the Oilfield to turn around. Eventually, it did and I went to pushing tools for Quarles Drilling for John Long. After that I went to work for several different companies and ended up at Basin Drilling until Grace Drilling bought them out. Eventually, Nabors came in and bought Grace. I became a District Manager for West Texas and then South Texas where I stayed until I made the move back to Midland and went to work for Patterson Drilling as the Area Manager for Midland. I started my first Con-sulting company (B & H) when I left there. I am married to the love of my life Meg Blair, my partner in life and in business. Together, we have four great kids and two beautiful granddaughters and 4 amazing mini Aussies! We enjoy the cowboy way of life as well as fishing, golf and traveling.

ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS:I own two Drilling Consulting Companies, one out in West Texas and one in South Texas.

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO DO WHAT YOU ARE DOING?We started B &H when I left Patterson. My guys needed somewhere to go and they didn’t want to work for anyone else. We started Azavachy when we made the move to South Texas last year.

How would you ENCOURAGE Others like Yourself?:Be a teacher to the young men out in the field. There is a generation gap there. These young guys need some tutoring.

What is the biggest Challenge you have? Breaking into the new market here in South Texas where no one knows my reputation.

What do you enjoy most about what you do? I enjoy Teaching.

What is your advice or business tip that you would like to share? Treat your employees with respect, pay the good ones what they’re worth and be very, very selective in whom you hire.18

creo

THE “REAL” HOUSEWIVES OF THE OILFIELD

When my dear friend Jennifer first asked me to write about my life as an Oilfield Wife for her magazine, I was more than just a bit thrilled. Finally, an opportunity to shed some light on the women behind the men in the Oilfield! There are so many misconceptions about Oilfield wives and my hope is that I can share some light on some of that. Contrary to popular belief, most of us do not sit at home eating bon bons and waiting for our men to come home from their next hitch. We do not use our men as human ATMS always putting our “babe like” appearances and ourselves first. There are many of us who actually work with our husbands in our Oilfield businesses and some of us have real jobs outside the home. Shows like “The Real Housewives” who cater to opulent lifestyles are not what most REAL Oilfield wives are experiencing. I admit, I am luckier than some as we have a pretty blessed life NOW, but it wasn’t always like this. When my kids were young, I was going in 20 different directions raising them alone 90% of the time while my husband worked countless hours out in the field. It was my responsibility to take care of my own job, as well as 6 horses, 20 acres and countless kid activities. I did it all and I never complained. It was (and still IS) after all what I signed up for when I married an “Oilfield” man. As women, we are born with the God given ability to multi-task. That is why we take care of everything and then, when our Oilfield men get home, we take care of him too. That is not to say my adoring husband doesn’t take care of me, because he does, but that’s a whole different article! Most Oilfield wives today are still raising kids, and playing the role of both moms AND DADS whether they get to stay home or have jobs that they go to everyday. They are still filling in where Dad left off when he went back on to his next hitch. They are still running kids to school and sports events, and taking care of everything from homes and finances, to yards, and car troubles. As our kids continue to grow, dads will still keep missing out because this is just the nature of the business. It is 24/7, 365 days a year. Our husbands are still getting to experience watching all the “firsts” in their kid’s lives from a distance. Things like driver’s permits, first dates and even going to their first prom while dad is out at the rig. The pay off for the hard work that goes into raising families sometimes gets to be experienced by the men in our lives solely through pictures and videos. Thank goodness for technology! I saw a t-shirt a long time ago that read, “behind every successful cowboy, is a wife who works in town”. It implied that the cowboy way of life is a tough, tough industry and that money is not the reason most cowboys do it. They do it because they love it, but they need some steady income! The same applies to our Oilfield marriages. If your husband is anything like mine, he LOVES what he does. To quote him directly, “the oilfield gets in your blood and if you spend two years in it, you will never get out, you can’t, the money is just too good!” Our husbands depend on us ladies, not necessarily for added money, but for everything else that needs to be dealt with and they trust us to get it done.I have seen a lot of changes in the Oilfield since I first married into it back in 1985, but the one thing that doesn’t change is the backbone of it all. We, the proud wives, are the backbone for our Oilfield men. We are the strong women who do it all. WE, my dear readers, are the babes our men love to come home to, because after all, that is what THEY signed up for! Till the next hitch... ~Meg Blair

“Babes and Backbones”

by: Meg Blair

19

creo

SHALE NEWS

TOM SHEPSTONE, PRESIDENTShepstone Management Co.www.NaturalGasNow.org

There has been a lot of speculation over the last several months about Vladimir Putin underwriting, either directly or indirectly, fractivist cam-paigns around the world, but particularly in Europe, which is a big cus-tomer for Russia’s state-owned gas company, Gazprom. Our friend Nick Grealy talked about it in this post. He noted how very strange indeed it was that Gazprom paid its US public relations firm a lot of money to for things such as “correspondence with Tribeca Film Festival on future sponsorship options.” That festival, of course, is a favorite of the one and only Josh Fox, so Nick’s ears and our’s both went up at that one.

Moreover, call me cynical, but it’s not readily obvious why a gas company that sells nothing to the US market needs a PR firm here. The Russkies have a clear interest in influencing what’s happening in Europe, of course, but the only apparent reason to spend money here is to help slow down fracking advances before things migrate to Europe. It’s too late to stop it, but any delay is clearly valuable to them, especially if they’re looking for an opportunity to get their own shale gas development program going before Europe fully develops alternatives to Russian gas.

Therefore, it’s no surprise evidence of Russian involvement in fractivist causes keeps building.NATO Head Says Russkies Funding Fractivists

What caught Nick Grealy’s eye to write his post was this paragraph from a Foreign Affairs article (emphasis added):

It should not be surprising that the Southern Gas Corridor has caught Moscow’s ire. Russian-run Gazprom is attempting to buy up gas transit and transmission infrastructure along the pipeline route to try to undermine the project. Even more insidious, it has paid environmental movements to try to stymie construction with environmental claims. This is not the first time thatGazprom has used bogus environmental movements to promote its interests. It has also funded anti-fracking campaigns in Europe, including in Ukraine and Bulgaria, to slow Europe’s development of local gas supplies. If public watchdogs in Europe do not monitor and publicize Russia’s manipulation of environmental causes, distinguishing its claims from those of legitimate envi-ronmental organizations, it will find itself increasingly dependent on Russian gas imports.It’s also worth noting Phelim McAleer was ahead of the curve on this in Fracknation, when he interviewed James Delingpole of Breitbart London and Neil Buckley of the Financial Times about this very issue. Here’s the video link: http://youtu.be/AAafjfeIsCU

Now, Breitbart London (a conservative blog) has come out with still more on the subject, reporting on a remarkable article in the Guard-ian (a center-left UK paper) that includes the following:Russia ‘secretly working with environmentalists to oppose fracking’The head of one of the world’s leading groups of democratic nations has accused Russia of undermining projects using hydraulic fracturing technology in Europe.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), and former premier of Denmark, told the Cha-tham House thinktank in London on Thursday that Vladimir Putin’s government was behind attempts to discredit fracking, according to reports.

Rasmussen said: “I have met allies who can report that Russia, as part of their sophisticated information and disinformation operations, engaged actively with so-called non-governmental organisations – environmental organisations working against shale gas – to maintain European dependence on imported Russian gas.”

Rasmussen made clear that fracking should be used, in his view, to increase Europe’s energy security, by providing a new source of gas and oil supply.

Nato was originally formed at the start of the cold war as an alliance of western states, including the US and many European nations, and historically has often opposed Russia. Rasmussen himself has spoken out previously against Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

A Nato official told the Guardian that Russia’s influence on energy sup-plies was causing problems for Europe. The official said: “We don’t go into the details of discussions among allied leaders, but Russia has been using a mix of hard and soft power in its attempt to recreate a sphere of influence, including through a campaign of disinformation on many issues, including energy. In general, the potential for Russia using energy supplies as a means of putting pressure on European nations is a matter of concern. No country should use supply and pricing terms as tools of coercion.“As energy supplies and routes are an issue mostly for the EU, we count on the EU to take into account the new security realities in Europe and look at whether there is a need to review diversifying energy sources and expanding energy infrastructure. Clearly, it is in the interest of all Nato allies to be able to have adequate energy supplies. This is critical to our economies, our security and our prosperity. We share a concern by some allies that Russia could try to obstruct possible projects on shale gas exploration in Europe in order to maintain Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.”

Are the RUSSKIES Funding Fractivists?Are the Russkies funding fractiv-istis to protect their own natural gas market from competition? It sure looks like it!

20

creo

Now, Breitbart London (a conservative blog) has come out with still more on the subject, reporting on a remarkable article in the Guard-ian (a center-left UK paper) that includes the following:Russia ‘secretly working with environmentalists to oppose fracking’The head of one of the world’s leading groups of democratic nations has accused Russia of undermining projects using hydraulic fracturing technology in Europe.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, secretary-general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato), and former premier of Denmark, told the Cha-tham House thinktank in London on Thursday that Vladimir Putin’s government was behind attempts to discredit fracking, according to reports.

Rasmussen said: “I have met allies who can report that Russia, as part of their sophisticated information and disinformation operations, engaged actively with so-called non-governmental organisations – environmental organisations working against shale gas – to maintain European dependence on imported Russian gas.”

Rasmussen made clear that fracking should be used, in his view, to increase Europe’s energy security, by providing a new source of gas and oil supply.

Nato was originally formed at the start of the cold war as an alliance of western states, including the US and many European nations, and historically has often opposed Russia. Rasmussen himself has spoken out previously against Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

A Nato official told the Guardian that Russia’s influence on energy sup-plies was causing problems for Europe. The official said: “We don’t go into the details of discussions among allied leaders, but Russia has been using a mix of hard and soft power in its attempt to recreate a sphere of influence, including through a campaign of disinformation on many issues, including energy. In general, the potential for Russia using energy supplies as a means of putting pressure on European nations is a matter of concern. No country should use supply and pricing terms as tools of coercion.“As energy supplies and routes are an issue mostly for the EU, we count on the EU to take into account the new security realities in Europe and look at whether there is a need to review diversifying energy sources and expanding energy infrastructure. Clearly, it is in the interest of all Nato allies to be able to have adequate energy supplies. This is critical to our economies, our security and our prosperity. We share a concern by some allies that Russia could try to obstruct possible projects on shale gas exploration in Europe in order to maintain Europe’s reliance on Russian gas.”

Green groups were swift to attack Rasmussen’s views, saying that they were not involved in any alleged Russian attempts to discredit the tech-nology, and were instead opposed to it on the grounds of environmental sustainability.

“The idea we’re puppets of Putin is so preposterous that you have to wonder what they’re smoking over at Nato HQ,” said Greenpeace, which has a history of antagonism with the Russian government, which ar-rested several of its activists on a protest in the Arctic last year.

Andrew Pendleton, a campaigner at Friends of the Earth, added: “Per-haps the Russians are worried about our huge wind and solar potential and have infiltrated the UK government.”This is the first statement by someone in a position of authority to the effect Russia is behind the fractivist movement (along with a small group of wealthy special interest foundations in the US). Rasmussen’s interpretation of events is not NATO policy per se, but it is the view of a leader in the position to know and there’s more. Notice, for example, the “Who, me?” reaction of both environmental groups is anything but denial.

Fractivists Aren’t What They Used To Be

The suggestion that Greenpeace’s recent actions make it implausible to think the Russkies may have financed them is even less convincing. Why? Because, Greenpeace is, according to others who have watched it carefully, essentially a shakedown outfit and when operators of that sort want more money they get it by reminding their patsy funders of why it’s not healthy to have them as an engaged enemy.

The Greenpeace of today, in fact, is a completely different organiza-tion, both mission-wise and legally, than the original. One of the original’s founders, Patrick Moore, got so disgusted with the evolution of the organization he left and has written a book about the experi-ence. Likewise for Bjørn Lomborg. They got tired of the bullying and Greenpeace’s lack of conscience and reason.Interestingly, the Russian newspaper Pravda, tells us this (emphasis added):

A coordinator of the Moscow branch of the Russian anti-globalization resistance Elena Borisova believes that Greenpeace’s methods are unac-ceptable.

It seems that Greenpeace is activated when Russia begins to imple-ment some projects in the Arctic, Barents Sea?“I strongly suspect that it is really the case. We did support a number of campaigns by Greenpeace when we thought that the nature was in danger. The examples are Utrish reserve, game reserves of the Caucasus in connection with the ongoing construction there. However, in many cases there is some correlation.Of course, Greenpeace needs funding. It receives this funding. The current public relations system allows, so to speak, to create the impres-sion of independent functioning. That is, direct requirements are not always there. There are no statements like “we’ll give money if you hurt someone,” in many ways it’s hidden, including from the protesters, and even employees of Greenpeace. We are in contact with them and know a lot about it…

SHALE NEWS

Apparently, even Greenpeace’s occasional allies believe it has taken dark money and reading between the lines suggests some of it could have easily come from the Russian government itself when the issue was something other than drilling in the Artic. This candid observation about Greenpeace operates, though, tells us a lot about the fractivist movement here and abroad. Most of them are just “useful idiots” who haven’t the slightest idea where their funding comes from or what’s its purpose is and many don’t care as James O’Keefe recently illustrated.

Did any of the dark money make it to the US? Well, apart from the money Gazprom gave the Ketchum firm, it’s hard to know. Our foundation re-porting requirements allow us a glimpse into how each spends its money although some act as as money-launderers for others. Foreign firms are generally under no such obligations, though, so we can only see the recipi-ents and not the funders.

Greenpeace Funding A Puzzle

We do know there are two different Greenpeace USA groups. Like the NY-PIRG, they have two corporations; one, Greenpeace, Inc. is a 501(c)4 political lobbying entity and the other, Greenpeace Fund, Inc., is a char-ity. The political arm took in $32 million in 2012 and the charity side had $12 million in revenues. The former spent the vast bulk of its money on salaries, benefits, fund-raising expenses and other overhead. This is fascinating, given the relatively low profile Greenpeace has in this country compared to, say, the NRDC. It suggests an organization that isn’t doing much for the money it receives.The charity side spent more in grants than it collected in revenue in 2012. Some $13 million was granted to the political arm and/or Greenpeace International (the Stichting Greenpeace Council) climate, forest, ocean and Arctic campaigns in Europe; all for the same purposes. Greenpeace is, other words, raising political money here in the US to spend abroad–tap-ping our useful idiots. We are simply a money trough. And, it’s the usual suspects giving the money. Adelaide Gomer, of Park Foundation fame, is on the board of the charity arm and gives it $50,000 per year. The Rock-efeller Brothers Fund is another funder.

But, where does the rest of the political arm’s funding come from? It took in $33 million and only a fraction came from the charity arm. It’s hard to believe such a low-profile group could raise that kind of money. Some-thing called The Partnership Project, Inc. (funded by World Wildlife Fund Inc, Wilderness Society, Environment America, The Energy Foundation and the Tides Foundation among others) gave it $120,000 and the Ru-dolph Steiner Foundation apparently gave it money some time in the past but there is no indication of any other groups funding Greenpeace, Inc. in recent years.That means the money came from mail solicitations, large private in-dividual donations or groups that don’t have to report. We’ll probably never know exactly who, but we do know useful idiots here are apparently sending big money to Greenpeace International where it is likely packaged with money from the Russkies to fight fracking and Greenpeace may well be shaking them down for more.

SOURCE: http://naturalgasnow.org/russkies-funding-fractivists/#more-4513

21

creo

OILFIELD BUSINESS: HUMAN RESOURCES

Important Facts about Background ChecksImproper Administration May Actually Increase Your Company’s Liability

Companies conduct background checks of applicants, and at times existing employees, for a variety of reasons including, the desire to:• Avoid exposure to negligent hiring/retention lawsuits;• Increase the security of the company’s assets and employees;• Reduce liability from inconsistent hiring or screening practices;• Proactively reduce the risk of employee-related loss; and• Mitigate the likelihood of an adverse incident occurring on company property that could jeopardize customer or employee confi-dence. However, many employers do not realize their background check policies and processes may actually subject them to increased liability. Background checks are subject to close scrutiny by both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). If your company uses a third party private company to perform background checks on prospective or existing employ-ees, this is considered a consumer report governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA provides for the recovery of statutory damages of $100 to $1,000 per violation from employers who fail to comply with the pro-cesses discussed below in conducting a background check. The FCRA also allows prevailing parties to seek punitive damages and recover their attorneys’ fees. Attorneys are increasingly bringing class action suits against employers for violations of the FCRA. Likewise, the EEOC has filed actions in federal court seeking damages for violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 against employers, alleging the employer’s background check policies have a discriminatory effect on minorities and/or male applicants. Recent EEOC and FTC GuidanceThe EEOC and the FTC recently published guidance about how the laws administered by these agencies apply to employment background checks.

The EEOC believes an employer’s unfettered use of criminal background checks causes a disparate impact to minorities applying for employ-ment. In accordance with this guidance, the EEOC urges employers not to make an inquiry about applicants’ criminal backgrounds until after the decision has been made to offer employment. Once that decision has been made, the employer may, in certain circumstances, condition an applicant’s employment on successfully passing a background check. If your company’s employment application still requires applicants to disclose whether or not they have been convicted of a criminal offense, include disclaimer language that makes it clear that a past criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify an applicant’s employment. If your company routinely performs criminal background checks of job applicants, it is wise to have a written policy governing those checks. The policy should include a list of factors the company may consider in determining the applicant’s suitability for employment, such as: • Relevance of the crime to the position sought or held; • The nature of the work to be performed or being performed; • Time since the conviction; • Age of the candidate/employee at the time of the offense; • Seriousness and specific circumstances of the offense; • The number of offenses; • Whether the applicant/employee has pending charges; • Any relevant evidence of rehabilitation or lack thereof; and • Any other relevant information, including information submitted by the candidate/employee or reasonably requested by the com-pany.

22

creo

OILFIELD BUSINESS: HUMAN RESOURCES

Companies conduct background checks of applicants, and at times existing employees, for a variety of reasons including, the desire to:• Avoid exposure to negligent hiring/retention lawsuits;• Increase the security of the company’s assets and employees;• Reduce liability from inconsistent hiring or screening practices;• Proactively reduce the risk of employee-related loss; and• Mitigate the likelihood of an adverse incident occurring on company property that could jeopardize customer or employee confi-dence. However, many employers do not realize their background check policies and processes may actually subject them to increased liability. Background checks are subject to close scrutiny by both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). If your company uses a third party private company to perform background checks on prospective or existing employ-ees, this is considered a consumer report governed by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA provides for the recovery of statutory damages of $100 to $1,000 per violation from employers who fail to comply with the pro-cesses discussed below in conducting a background check. The FCRA also allows prevailing parties to seek punitive damages and recover their attorneys’ fees. Attorneys are increasingly bringing class action suits against employers for violations of the FCRA. Likewise, the EEOC has filed actions in federal court seeking damages for violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 against employers, alleging the employer’s background check policies have a discriminatory effect on minorities and/or male applicants. Recent EEOC and FTC GuidanceThe EEOC and the FTC recently published guidance about how the laws administered by these agencies apply to employment background checks.

The EEOC believes an employer’s unfettered use of criminal background checks causes a disparate impact to minorities applying for employ-ment. In accordance with this guidance, the EEOC urges employers not to make an inquiry about applicants’ criminal backgrounds until after the decision has been made to offer employment. Once that decision has been made, the employer may, in certain circumstances, condition an applicant’s employment on successfully passing a background check. If your company’s employment application still requires applicants to disclose whether or not they have been convicted of a criminal offense, include disclaimer language that makes it clear that a past criminal conviction will not automatically disqualify an applicant’s employment. If your company routinely performs criminal background checks of job applicants, it is wise to have a written policy governing those checks. The policy should include a list of factors the company may consider in determining the applicant’s suitability for employment, such as: • Relevance of the crime to the position sought or held; • The nature of the work to be performed or being performed; • Time since the conviction; • Age of the candidate/employee at the time of the offense; • Seriousness and specific circumstances of the offense; • The number of offenses; • Whether the applicant/employee has pending charges; • Any relevant evidence of rehabilitation or lack thereof; and • Any other relevant information, including information submitted by the candidate/employee or reasonably requested by the com-pany.

Employers must also make sure they are treating everyone equally. The EEOC considers background checks based on a protected class, such as race or national origin, to be illegal. The EEOC also does not want employers to have a blanket policy of performing criminal background checks on all applicants. Instead, the employer must be able to show there is a business necessity for the check. For example, it may be difficult for an employer to prove a business necessity to perform a background check on an applicant for a position as the company’s receptionist or for someone who will only perform general labor for the company. Conversely, it is much easier to show a business necessity in the event the employee will work in a customer’s residence or will handle money for the company.FCRA ProcessesAs mentioned above, the FCRA has strict processes that must be followed when employers use third party credit reporting agencies to perform background checks on applicants or existing employees. Applicants or employees must be given separate written notices concern-ing their rights under the FCRA and that the employer may use information in the report that could affect their employment. The employer must also obtain written consent from applicants or employees to perform the background checks.

In the event the resulting background report reveals information that may affect the employabil-ity of an applicant or existing employee, the employer must provide the applicant/employee with what is commonly referred to as the “Pre-Adverse Action” notice. This notice informs applicants and employees that their background reports contain derogatory information that may affect their employment. A copy of the background check report and also a form entitled “A Summary of Your Rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act” must be included with the Pre-Adverse Ac-tion notice. The purpose of the Pre-Adverse Action notice is to provide an applicant or employee with the opportunity to contact the company that performed the background check to request its correction in the event the report contains information the applicant/employee believes is false. If the employer ultimately decides to take an adverse action (not hire the applicant or terminate or take some other adverse employment action against an existing employee), the employer must provide the applicant/employee with a second notice, commonly referred to as the “Adverse Ac-tion” notice. This second notice:• Informs the employee/applicant about the adverse employment action that has been taken based on the information found in their background check;• Must provide the applicant/employee with the name, address, and phone number of the consumer reporting company that supplied the report;• Must also include a statement that the credit reporting agency providing the report did not make the decision to take the adverse employment action; and• Inform the employee/applicant that they have a right to dispute the accuracy of the report.In summary, don’t allow a tool your company uses to reduce liability to actually increase your ex-posure to government or private actions for violations of the FCRA or Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Make sure you have a properly drafted background policy in place. Also, ensure that you are familiar with the consents and notices you must provide applicants and existing employ-ees in the event you decide to take an adverse action based on the results found in a background check.

Bio:Norman Paul is the CEO and Corporate Counsel for SWBC PEO, an organization of HR Specialists operating in 18 states to provide benefits, payroll, discounted workers’ compenation coverage, OSHA/custom safety programs, HR compliance, and more. He can be reached at [email protected] or 877-704-0454.

Disclosure:This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice.

23

creo

OILFIELD BUSINESS: INNOVATION

GROWING Your Employees for the

Long Term

BY:RON E.

Zimmerman, Jr.

The development and delivery of technology-leveraged training is fundamental to the growth and retention of a skilled workforce. The slow economic recovery, disappear-ing jobs, and a far-reaching demographic shift are affecting business sectors in United States that rely upon skilled workers. The central component of this situation is the shrinking skilled workforce. The shortage of capable workers is driving businesses—small and large—to focus training efforts on retaining their existing workforce. To do that, managers are evaluating their workplace environments and developing training and education strategies to meet the needs of their generationally diverse workforce. In all, a skilled workforce is essential to safe, productive, and sustainable construction and sustainment activities required in the oil production industry.

Strategic Context

Generations Birthdate CharacteristicsPercent of

Labor Force(2016)

Traditionalists 1925 - 1945• Patriotic – loyalty• Waste not- want not• Top-Down Approach

7.6%

Baby Boomers 1946 - 1960• Idealistic• Competitive• Question Authority

27.2%

Gen Xers 1961 - 1980• Resourceful• Self-Reliant• Highly Adaptive to Technology

33.2%

Millennial (Gen Y) 1981 - 2000• Globally concerned• Realistic• Cyber-Savvy

32.0%

Millennial (Gen Z) 2000 - After• Connected to Communications• Thrive on small bits of information• Instant Gratification

N/A

Managers began reacting to generational disparities

several years ago, as the Traditionalist generation started leaving the workforce and Millennials took their place alongside Generation Xers and Baby Boomers. This new mix poses challenges given the enormous generational differences in work ethics, attitudes, outlooks, and learning behaviors across these groups (as seen in Table 1). Millennials (both Y and Z) are one of the more socially conscious generations and view work as a personal event involving opportunities to make new friends, learn new skills, and connect to a larger purpose. They tend to leverage collaboration tools and are intolerant of environments stuck on fixed-site or brick and mortar work and learning environments. Managers must consider the training needs for each genera-

Table 1. Trends in the U.S. Labor Force

24

creo


tion comprised of their workforce. Managers should also recognize the education gap in their younger genera-tion workforce who struggle with the ability to reason, analyze, weigh evidence and problem solve in the same manner as their predecessors. In his book, The Global Achievement Gap, Mr. Tony Wagner discusses how these struggles combined with a reduction in technical skills increases job frustration for these paraprofession-als.

Knowing and understanding the gaps produced by generational and education differences enable managers and instructional designers to identify the content of new training programs. Younger employees may need more problem-solving training, while Gen Xers may require more leadership training, and the Baby Boomers may require additional training in their areas of expertise or in the integration of new technologies. While generational thinking has made a gradual shift, technology has evolved rapidly. The combination of generational thinking and technology has led training and education to shift from a passive teacher-centered approach to an interactive and collaborative approach. Traditional instructor centric learning strategies no longer fit the current learning environment in this new age of digital learners and mobile workforce. Advanced distributive learning (asynchronous learning) and blended instruction is now an accepted learning model that encompasses a mix of face-to-face classroom time, web-based instruction, streaming video, virtual campuses, and the use of other electronic media. Leveraging contextual variety creates effective training that responds to generational differences in learning, information technology, and social communication. Training ApproachThe changing workforce and exponential advances in technology is forcing a new approach to employee skill training. Gone are the days of simply applying funds and resources to the production of training and education products. Managers must focus on outcome-based training with long-term nested strategies to avoid wasted time, resources, and funds. The key is development of a learning strategy that integrates training and feedback while leveraging technology to minimize resources and align with industry driven goals. Trainers must look for instructional relevancy by accounting for a sense of community, membership, influence, fulfilment of indi-vidual needs and shared events, and emotional connections. Training audiences must feel a sense of loyalty and belonging to the learning content. Current learning approaches must seek to go beyond the traditional methods by leveraging social approaches to achieve optimum learning experiences. Changes must occur from the top-down and include networked approaches to be effective.The oil exploration and production industry faces additional training and education challenges when it comes to growing and retaining a skilled workforce. Because learning occurs across an extended period of study and time, training must be intentional, well designed, and coherent within the strategic context. Teaching methods should account for the current environmental and operational conditions, education gaps in the public sectors relevant to the desired skill sets and outcomes, and generational differences in learning traits. Learning strate-gies should leverage communities of practice where groups of people share common values and beliefs and are actively engaged in learning together from each other. Learning should occur using a combination of face-to-face instruction (teacher or instructor presence) with computer mediated (on-line learning) instruction by leveraging technology to make education more interactive where all possible. Learning environments should strive to have instructors and workers (students) working together to improve both the quality of learning and instruction, and ultimately providing realistic and practical instruction that is useful, sustainable, and ever growing. When developing new training and education programs, managers and instructors should consider the following questions:

• What skills and knowledge (by skill set, employee competency models, or field technical competency) are required to maintain our desired level of product, service or process, and equipment reliability? What are the desired outcomes per skill set or workforce echelon (such as laborer, first-line manage-ment, middle management, and executive management)?

• What educational or performance gaps reside in my current workforce by skill set? continue on pg 28

25

creo

THE OILFIELD PROFILE

THE DEVON WAY...New Ideas Unlock Unconventional Resources

“We usually find oil in a new place with old ideas. Sometimes, we find oil in an old place with a new idea, but we seldom find much oil in an old place with an old idea.”

“Several times in the past we have thought that we were running out of oil, when actually we were running out of ideas.” — Parke A. Dickey, University of Tulsa Petroleum geology professor, September 1958

More than 50 years later, Professor Dickey’s statement still seems timeless. Devon’s projects are not defined by old ideas and many of our exploration endeavors attempt to unlock the resources others may have left behind. We have developed world-class natural gas fields in places long overlooked as unproductive and uneconomical.

The coalbeds of northwest New Mexico’s San Juan Basin and the Barnett Shale of North Texas were ignored for decades by oilmen drilling for less complicated sandstone targets above and below. Howver, coalbed natural gas production grew throughout the first decade of the 21st century, and shale represents the future of the North American natural gas indus-try. Unconventional natural gas fields are among the most prolific in North America, and Devon is a leader in developing them.

26

DEVON’S MISSION: Devon is a results-oriented oil and gas company that builds value for shareholders through our employees by creating a culture of health, safety and environmental stewardship in an atmosphere of optimism, teamwork, creativity and resourcefulness and by dealing with everyone in an open and ethical manner.

creo

THE OILFIELD PROFILE

In 1989, Devon became one of the first companies to produce economically viable quantities of natural gas from coalbeds. Drilling into northwest New Mexico’s Fruitland coal formations, the company’s innovation and persistence helped unlock the secrets to producing coalbed natural gas, which has become a major energy resource in North America. Devon’s coal-bed operations in the San Juan Basin are expected to ultimately produce more than 1.3 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Successes in the San Juan Basin have led to other coalbed reservoirs in Wyoming and to exploration projects in Montana, Oklahoma and western Canada.

The company asserted its pioneering spirit again in developing the huge Barnett Shale natural gas field in 2002 when it ac-quired Mitchell Energy. After charting new ground in New Mexico and Wyoming, technical challenges the Barnett offered in North Texas were a natural fit for Devon. Devon continued its path of innovation by improving fracturing techniques, using horizontal drilling as well as advanced seismic imaging technology and enhanced recovery methods. Since 2002, the company’s production has doubled to 1.3 billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent per day, more than any other com-pany operating in what is the largest gas field in Texas.

Thanks largely to its determination in the Barnett Shale, Devon today is the second-largest gas producer in Texas. The Bar-nett Shale proved so successful that today producers are developing other shale formations throughout North America.

The Fruitland coalbeds and the Barnett Shale were not new places when Devon targeted them for development. They had been passed over and drilled through many times. But, as professor Dickey said in 1958, sometimes, all it takes to rein-vigorate an old place is a new idea.SOURCE:http://www.devonenergy.com/Operations/FeatureStories/Pages/Unconventional_Resources.aspx

CONTACT:Chip Minty , Manager, Media Relations, US405.228.8647 E: [email protected]

jOHN RICHELS, PRES. & CEO LARRY NICHOLS, EXEC. CHAIRMAN

27

creo

What makes up frac fluid? Water and sand comprise 99.5 percent of the mixture. Com-pounds used for specific purposes make up the remainder. For instance, guar, made from beans, makes the fluid more gel-like, which helps transport the sand deep into the shale fissures. When the fluid is ready to be removed, an enzyme or oxidizer reduces the fluid’s consistency. Other compounds act as lubricants. Most of these compounds have common household uses. What chemicals are used in hydraulic fracturing? The attached list details not only the most commonly used com-pounds, but also their purpose in the frac job and some of their better-known applications. All of the states where Devon operates require companies to make available a list of each product used in hydraulic fracturing. What protects my water supply? In addition to the mile or more of rock formations that separate groundwater supplies from fracking operations, safeguards are taken to protect against potential groundwater contamination. State regulatory authorities ensure that these steps are followed and can impose severe penalties, including suspending a license and imposing fines, for violations. When a well is drilled, steel casing is installed and surrounded by layers of concrete. These serve as additional barriers against any possible groundwater contamination. This American Petroleum Institute video dem-onstrates not only how fracking works, but also the protective casing and cementing process. What happens to the frac water after it is used? Once its purpose is fulfilled, the water is recovered and either recycled or disposed of by injecting it several thousand feet below drinking water supplies. Injection wells are highly regulated by state agencies. What does the government say about hydraulic fracturing? The Environmental Protection Agency studied the issue and determined in 2004 that the process poses no threat to drinking water supplies. In 2001, the U.S. Department of Energy noted that more restrictive regulation of hydraulic fracturing could inhibit

• What are the most effective methods that my company can implement to achieve an acceptable learning model that gains employee and organization input on training?

• Which learning models best suit our company that could make training more interactive, reduce class-room instruction, and/or make small group problem solving the centerpiece of facilitated instruction based on relevant industry or technical challenges?

• Which educational learning processes should our company change to better prepare our workforce for future challenges?

• How should knowledge obtained from businesses, academia, and industry domains inform research and later updates to our answers to the above listed questions? What is our feedback mechanism to capture and integrate lessons into lessons learned?

• What savings could our company expect by using a blended learning environment to grow our work-force?

Next Generation Training

Managers should respond to the increasingly diverse needs of their skilled workforce by developing long-term learning strategies that include web-based collaborative tools. Instructional methods should support and encour-age individuals to learn together while retaining individual control over their time, space, presence, activity, and relationships. Training and education programs should include multiple segments given the complexity of technical and management subjects, and available time. Managers should expect composite training segments consisting of prerequisite or self-development modules, instructor led portions in virtual classrooms, face-to-face instruction, and potentially self-paced exercises. The degree and potential complexity of training, to include upfront instructional system analysis and curriculum development requires an experienced team comprised of a broad range of corporate and individual talents. Busi-ness leaders should look to information management and training companies for support in developing custom learning solutions in support of either single modules or a learning series. Web-based custom learning solutions should track participation, automatically record learning progress, and provide a reporting mechanism on indi-vidual, facility, office, administrations, or enterprise-level training accomplishments. Development of an effective training and education program involves a combination of in-house and outsourced resources and utilizes an iterative process that consists of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (internal and external). During the analysis phase, the in-house team reviews the answers to the ques-tions above to determine what level of complexity is required to meet the training goal. Utilizing a scale of 1 to 4, the team determines the level of interactivity required. Training for a skill requiring level 3 or moderate inter-activity, for example, will typically include multiple levels of branching or pathways and dynamic participant activity to maximize retention and transferability to the work environment. Managers can identify and source their training solutions once they have identified their learning requirements. Managers always have the option of using a management and training company to aid in identifying learning requirements. The overall importance is upfront analysis to identify the situation, environmental factors, and learning requirements as compared to the skill set objectives. Figure 1 provides more detail on the training levels and their conceptual training or education effectiveness. Continue on pg 30

OILFIELD BUSINESS INNOVATION

28

Hydraulic Fracturing Q & A

creo

What makes up frac fluid? Water and sand comprise 99.5 percent of the mixture. Com-pounds used for specific purposes make up the remainder. For instance, guar, made from beans, makes the fluid more gel-like, which helps transport the sand deep into the shale fissures. When the fluid is ready to be removed, an enzyme or oxidizer reduces the fluid’s consistency. Other compounds act as lubricants. Most of these compounds have common household uses. What chemicals are used in hydraulic fracturing? The attached list details not only the most commonly used com-pounds, but also their purpose in the frac job and some of their better-known applications. All of the states where Devon operates require companies to make available a list of each product used in hydraulic fracturing. What protects my water supply? In addition to the mile or more of rock formations that separate groundwater supplies from fracking operations, safeguards are taken to protect against potential groundwater contamination. State regulatory authorities ensure that these steps are followed and can impose severe penalties, including suspending a license and imposing fines, for violations. When a well is drilled, steel casing is installed and surrounded by layers of concrete. These serve as additional barriers against any possible groundwater contamination. This American Petroleum Institute video dem-onstrates not only how fracking works, but also the protective casing and cementing process. What happens to the frac water after it is used? Once its purpose is fulfilled, the water is recovered and either recycled or disposed of by injecting it several thousand feet below drinking water supplies. Injection wells are highly regulated by state agencies. What does the government say about hydraulic fracturing? The Environmental Protection Agency studied the issue and determined in 2004 that the process poses no threat to drinking water supplies. In 2001, the U.S. Department of Energy noted that more restrictive regulation of hydraulic fracturing could inhibit

OILFIELD BUSINESS: EDUCATION

• What are the most effective methods that my company can implement to achieve an acceptable learning model that gains employee and organization input on training?

• Which learning models best suit our company that could make training more interactive, reduce class-room instruction, and/or make small group problem solving the centerpiece of facilitated instruction based on relevant industry or technical challenges?

• Which educational learning processes should our company change to better prepare our workforce for future challenges?

• How should knowledge obtained from businesses, academia, and industry domains inform research and later updates to our answers to the above listed questions? What is our feedback mechanism to capture and integrate lessons into lessons learned?

• What savings could our company expect by using a blended learning environment to grow our work-force?

Next Generation Training

Managers should respond to the increasingly diverse needs of their skilled workforce by developing long-term learning strategies that include web-based collaborative tools. Instructional methods should support and encour-age individuals to learn together while retaining individual control over their time, space, presence, activity, and relationships. Training and education programs should include multiple segments given the complexity of technical and management subjects, and available time. Managers should expect composite training segments consisting of prerequisite or self-development modules, instructor led portions in virtual classrooms, face-to-face instruction, and potentially self-paced exercises. The degree and potential complexity of training, to include upfront instructional system analysis and curriculum development requires an experienced team comprised of a broad range of corporate and individual talents. Busi-ness leaders should look to information management and training companies for support in developing custom learning solutions in support of either single modules or a learning series. Web-based custom learning solutions should track participation, automatically record learning progress, and provide a reporting mechanism on indi-vidual, facility, office, administrations, or enterprise-level training accomplishments. Development of an effective training and education program involves a combination of in-house and outsourced resources and utilizes an iterative process that consists of analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (internal and external). During the analysis phase, the in-house team reviews the answers to the ques-tions above to determine what level of complexity is required to meet the training goal. Utilizing a scale of 1 to 4, the team determines the level of interactivity required. Training for a skill requiring level 3 or moderate inter-activity, for example, will typically include multiple levels of branching or pathways and dynamic participant activity to maximize retention and transferability to the work environment. Managers can identify and source their training solutions once they have identified their learning requirements. Managers always have the option of using a management and training company to aid in identifying learning requirements. The overall importance is upfront analysis to identify the situation, environmental factors, and learning requirements as compared to the skill set objectives. Figure 1 provides more detail on the training levels and their conceptual training or education effectiveness. Continue on pg 30

29

the nation’s supply of natural gas while providing no additional protection to underground water. More re-cently, the Ground Water Protection Council issued a 2009 report stating that the potential for groundwater contamination from hydraulic fracturing is extremely remote. Additionally, the Interstate Oil and Gas Com-pact Commission, a government agency composed of energy-producing states, has determined that existing state regulations prevent groundwater contamination from hydraulic fracturing. What would happen if Congress added a federal layer to the regulatory framework? A study released in 2009 by IHS Global Insight concluded that additional restrictions on hydraulic fracturing would reduce natural gas production by at least 10 percent within five years. This would force the United States to rely more heavily on imported natural gas.

SOURCE:http://www.devonenergy.com/CorpResp/Documents/Fracking%20QA%20Graph.pdfCONTACT:Chip Minty , Manager, Media Relations, US405.228.8647 E: [email protected]

Hydraulic Fracturing Q & A

creo

YOU’RE AN EXPERT IN THE FIELDWe’re Experts in our Field, Too!

Talk to SWBC about our exceptional HR, benefit, and insurance programs.

PROUD SPONSOR

PEO SERVICES

• OSHA and Safety Training

• Steep Discounts on Workers’ Comp

• ISNetworld Assistance

• Job Costing, Certified Payrolls, & more HR services!

COMMERCIAL INSURANCE

• Comprehensive Insurance Programs

• Claims Advocacy

• Risk Assessments

• Captive Insurance Companies

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

• Innovative Benefit Programs

• Wellness Programs

• Health Care Guidance

© SWBC 2014. All rights reserved. 5380-5649

[email protected]

866-454-8580

It costs you nothing but a few minutes of time to learn more.

ASK FOR A CONSULTATION TODAY!

Level-1Passive-No Interaction

Level-2Limited

Interactivity

Level-3Moderate

Interactivity

Level-4Simulation and Game-Based

Learning

Instructor Led Training

Media-Based Training

Participant Learning Involvement

Trai

ning

and

Edu

catio

n Ef

fect

iven

ess

Graphics, Images,

and Simple Animations

Clickable Animated Graphics,

Simple Exercise

Animated Videos,

Scenario-Based Cases

Real-Time Learning,

Digital “Avatars”

Note: Gen Xers and Millennials will expect Level-3 and Level-4 training that leverages technology.

When searching for companies to develop content, man-agers should look for companies that encourage collab-orative development; understanding of the industry chal-lenges; ability to hire talented individuals with expertise in HTML5, 3D character rigging and animation, high-end Flash interactivity and simulation, video compositing, and Web-based media. For example, management and training companies must be able to collaborate with industry experts to design and develop custom learning solutions. These

Figure 1. Participant Learning Involvement


30

custom solutions should leverage state-of-the art training with industry best practices to meet the training needs of individual learners across the generational workforce. In return, business leaders can use the industry-developed leaning products to train virtually anything from management, communication skills, specific types of skilled operations, and sustainment or maintenance. Management and training companies should have a proven record of accomplishment in developing programs that combine information technology and workforce activities to train operations, man-agement, and decision-making skills. In addition, it is important that managers seek out technologies that reduce instructor time and increase learner autonomy. Training communica-tion skills, such as coaching employees, typically requires classroom training to gain the knowl-edge. Efforts also require actions such as role-plays to gain experience and mentoring to ensure new managers are effectively motivating posi-tive change that will help rehabilitate and retain underperforming workers. Coaching for Improved

Performance with Brooke Lerner™, a computer based role-play with feedback is an example of role-play cus-tom learning solutions. 1 The computer based learning module integrates knowledge, practice, and feedback into a single user-driven package that managers can integrate into classroom training or as an independent learning moduleBusiness leaders should focus training and education programs on long-term training objectives aligned with their environmental context. Business leaders to search out companies that have an understanding of 21st Cen-tury learning requirements and respond to the “voice of the customer” based on continual collaborations with

1 Coaching for Improved Performance with Brooke Lerner™ was devel-oped by SIMmersion, located in Columbia, MD 21046; available at www.trainper-formancecoaching.com and www.simmersion.com/training.

continue on pg 31

creo

YOU’RE AN EXPERT IN THE FIELDWe’re Experts in our Field, Too!

Talk to SWBC about our exceptional HR, benefit, and insurance programs.

PROUD SPONSOR

PEO SERVICES

• OSHA and Safety Training

• Steep Discounts on Workers’ Comp

• ISNetworld Assistance

• Job Costing, Certified Payrolls, & more HR services!

COMMERCIAL INSURANCE

• Comprehensive Insurance Programs

• Claims Advocacy

• Risk Assessments

• Captive Insurance Companies

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS

• Innovative Benefit Programs

• Wellness Programs

• Health Care Guidance

© SWBC 2014. All rights reserved. 5380-5649

[email protected]

866-454-8580

It costs you nothing but a few minutes of time to learn more.

ASK FOR A CONSULTATION TODAY!

TEXAS OIL & GAS PROFESSIONALS NETWORKPromote - Inspire - Network - Connect - Support - Synergize - Empower

ADVERTISING STARTS AT

JUST $99Join TOGPN Today!Why Should I Join?Marketing, Networking, Business DevelopmentProfessional DevelopmentProfessional DiscountsPromote & Build Other Oil & Gas Professionals!Great Mixers & Monthly Meetings!

www.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

210.853.0213

COMPLIMENTARY FINANCIAL NEEDS ANALYSIS

Are you working hard? Making a decent living? Worrying about the future? Let us help. Primerica Financial Services is proud to offer a complimentary FINANCIAL NEEDS ANALYSIS (FNA). The FNA puts in your hands a printed analysis of all major areas

of your personal household finances, based oninformation you have provided. It also helps you organize and

prioritize your financial goals so you can explore all your options for achieving them.

* Retirement savings * Education fund* Emergency fund * Debt solutions* Income Protection * Additional incomeWe offer this valuable Financial Needs Analysis as a complimen-tary service.There is no cost to you. Call office of Dora Casillas, Regional Vice President for an appointment, (210)378-9474

ask for Local Representative: Nora J Mireles Mobile (210)365-3326 Monday-Friday 12:00 to 9:00pm Saturday & Sunday by appt only

the targeted skilled-workforce. In the end, learning approaches should address specific workforce needs and respond to industry challenges; it will go a long way to helping the industry retain its skilled workforce.

Ron Zimmerman is President of HighGround Technolo-gies, Inc. (www.highgroundtech.com) from Belton, Texas. HighGround manages information systems comprised of any combination of information technology and work-force activities using technology to support management, training, operations, and decision-making. Their analyti-cal approaches (such as systems approach to training) combined with connections to university level educators and specialized training companies enable fully integrated solutions.


continue from pg 30

creo

OILFIELD ENVIRONMENT

So what is a threatened or endangered species? These are spe-cies listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) or National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and considered rare and/or imperiled. As a general rule, the USFWS manages land and freshwaters species while the NMFS manages marine spe-cies. States have various rules and regulations as well that apply to imperiled species. An endangered species is one that is in danger of becoming extinct throughout all or a significant por-tion of its range, while a threatened species is one that is likely to become endangered.Once listed, a species is afforded protection to ensure every effort is made to prevent it from becoming extinct. One can-not take a species without a permit from the appropriate federal agency. What constitutes a “take” under the federal Endangered Species Act? If one harasses, harms, pursues, hunts, shoots, wounds, kills, captures, or collects a listed species or attempts to engage in any of these actions, then the federal rules classify those actions as a take. Permits are required for any take and companies and individuals are subject to criminal and civil pen-alties if an unpermitted take has occurred.

So, what is one to do when confronted with working in an area with a threatened or endangered species? First, one quick check is to see what species occur in the area in which you are working. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the various USFWS offices in the state maintain a list of species listed by county and most, if not all, of this informa-tion is on-line. Each species has some key habitat charac-teristics or habitat definition that one can use to narrow the search. In some cases, the USFWS lists critical habitat for specific listed species. Critical habitat consists of a specific habitat type within a particular geographic area currently occupied by a species. Habitat outside the currently oc-cupied geographical area may also be considered critical habitat if it is determined to be essential for conserving the species. The oil and gas industry in Texas has largely been spared major development issues associated with threatened and endangered species listings. Most listed species in Texas are localized or in regions with minimal to no oil and gas reserves. Lately, however, key parts of our state have seen

Living with Threatened and Endangered Species

BY: PETER MCKONE

32

creo

OILFIELD ENVIRONMENT

listing proposals or actions that could severely impact the development of these oil and gas reserves. In addition, the explosive growth of the oil and gas industry in Texas over the last 15 years has increased the exposure to imperiled species and their habitats. One option that has gained in-creased fervor is called candidate conservation agreements with assurances (CCAAs). The oil and gas industry has been strongly involved in CCAAs with two species in the last few years, with somewhat mixed results. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) proposed to list the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus) in December 2010. This species has a body length less than 4 inches and also goes by the name of sand dune lizard. Anywhere shinnery oak dune habitat existed was potential habitat and, therefore, restricted from development for oil and gas, wind and solar, etc. The listing would have sig-nificantly impacted oil and gas development in the Perm-ian Basin along the New Mexico/Texas state lines. Due to some determined efforts by a number of entities such as a number of oil and gas companies, the Bureau of Land

Management, Texas A&M University, and landowners, the species listing did not occur. Conservation agreements were established for over 650,000 acres in Texas and New Mexico. These agreements provided a template for how development would proceed but also gave the USFWS a comfort level that the species was no longer imperiled. The listing proposal was withdrawn and the USFWS will monitor compliance with the conservation agreements as well as continue to study the species’ health.Recently, another species listing that has the potential for greater impact to oil and gas development in Texas and other states is the lesser prairie chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus). This species occurs in areas with native grasslands and prairies. Critical habitat has still not been determined for this species and looks to be a year away. Efforts to list this species are not new, starting back in 1995, but accelerated over the last couple of years. Once again, the oil and gas industry, as well as others industry groups and landown-ers, stepped up in an attempt to eliminate the need for listing. In addition, multiple federal and state agencies have joined in efforts to conserve the species through candidate conservation agreements. Over 3 million acres throughout Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, and Colorado have been enrolled in the Western Associa-tion of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ (WAFWA) range-wide conserva-tion plan by the oil and gas operators and landowners. The contro-versy with this species is not over as lawsuits are being generated to challenge various aspects of the listing.As one can see, the CCAAs potentially allow development to occur as long as certain measures are taken to conserve threatened and endangered species. They are not a cure-all but give operators a known playing field. The two species mentioned above, and the in-credible efforts to provide workable options, are works in progress. Expect changes ahead with these, and other, species.

BIO: Peter McKone, CWB, has more than 25 years of leadership, project management, and broad experience in the environmental and natu-ral resources industry. His experience includes stream and wetland restoration, wildlife biology, wetlands ecology and mitigation, agen-cy coordination, and NEPA preparation. Pete has experience work-ing with both private and public sector clients across the country, including extensive experience with the oil and gas industry. Pete is a frequent speaker and author on wetlands delineation, natural habitat issues, environmental guidelines for land development, and tree identification and has conducted numerous seminars through-out the country on riparian/wetland restoration, wetland delinea-tion, 404 permitting, and oil and gas issues. Pete is Vice President of Environmental Services of Pape-Dawson Engineers, Inc.

Living with Threatened and Endangered Species

33

OILFIELD BUSINESS: PROFESSIONAL WOMAN’S CORNER

have a plan in place. Be prepared for the decrease of cash flow and have a plan to justify a lending strategy. Under-standing your Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats is needed. Learn how to turn those weaknesses into strengths and those threats into opportunities.3. Take Action. Remove yourself from the negativity and do something. As an entrepreneur, one can get into a rut. One challenge I see often is that business owners do not have the experience to revamp their strategies and they make larger mistakes instead making better choices. By getting some second opinions from others that may have been in their situation can help you make a better choice. Consider reaching out to a consultant or busi-ness associate/mentor and taking the RIGHT Action will get you where you need to be.Success is just around the corner. How you prepare mentally and physically for the rough times will deter-mine your agility throughout industry trends. Take ap-propriate actions and see through your challenges. This will definitely set you on track to being successful once again.

Rough Times in Business

You own a business, you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you consider yourself a leader in your field...all of these positive things that you have within yourself but what helps prepare you for the rough times in business.All businesses have ups and downs...I have seen it and experienced it for myself. What helps businesses get through these rough spots are several things. 1. Awareness. First of all, being aware that things are not always going to be as sweet as pie. Awareness involves understanding the weaknesses of your management team and the weaknesses of your industry sector. Understand that all management team members must continue with training and educational opportunities so there is con-stant improvement in their abilities. Teaching your staff to embrace training and conferences that will allow them to grow professionally and change is sometimes neces-sary.2. Prepare. Preparation for decrease in demand for your business. Understanding the trends of your industry and

34

Bio:Jennifer Harvey-Larivey is a successful business owner, mother, and wife in San An-tonio, Texas. She has a passion for helping others through motivation and empower-ment. She is the Publisher of Texas Oil & Gas Magazine, Founder of Texas Oil & Gas Professionals Network and small business owner of Fabulous & Unique You! She has had 15 years of experience in Healthcare as a Certified Wellness Coach & Holistic Practioner, covering a wide-variety of challenges from weight-loss, women’s issues, se-nior-living, cancer patient care, palliative & end-of-life care. Growing up in an oilfield family and in a home where her mother was the sole care-giver for her 3 grandpar-ents, she understands the family dynamics of both entities. Her compassion for others shows clearly how much she cares for people’s well-being in all areas of life. “Life is like a wheel, if one area is out of balance then you create a flat tire and your wheel will not roll.” The Oil & Gas industry has become her second family. Being involved with many oilfield families and providing support to oilfield wives has been a clear reason why she feels the call to be a beacon of light to help when she can. She has spoken for many groups in many areas of her expertise, from women’s issues to the Prosperity of Texas Oil & Gas. Please contact her for speaking engagements, coaching, or if you need help developing your business.

TEXAS OIL & GAS PROFESSIONALS NETWORK MEMBERSHIP LUNCHEON

GUEST SPEAKER: LUKE LEGATE, Texas Oil & Gas AdvocateTitle of Speech – Texas Oil and Gas Industry Outlook & Drilling 101DATE: SEPT. 9, 2014SAN ANTONIO, TEXASEMAIL: [email protected] YOUR TICKETS TODAY! SEATING IS LIMITED!

creo

OILFIELD WELLNESS

5 Million Americans go on a diet each year and only 5 percent keep that weight off. Obesity and diabetes is a major epidemic in America and especially in Texas. Corpus Christi, Texas was labeled recently as one of the na-tion’s fattest cities. Oilfield workers find it difficult to eat healthy out in the field because of a lack of options. How does one overcome this obstacle? Awareness and Preparation.Being aware of what you are putting into your body and preparing a plan. We have a 5 step plan to a healthier, happier you through a holistic approach.

Choose a Cleanse. Active weight loss facilitates the release of toxins stored in fat reserves. It is imperative to elimi-nate these regularly. Give your body a gentle push in the right direction one week a month. Choose a Meal Replacement. For active weight loss, replace two meals a day with a nutritious protein shake. For weight maintenance, replace only one meal per day. Choose from several types and flavors.

Address Individual Concerns. Weight management supplements can attack weight loss from EVERY angle. Choose high-quality supplements to address your individual concerns.

Eat Essential Foods. Your body requires several key nutrients daily to maintain health, energy levels, proper func-tion and cellular repairs. The Essential Foods Plan is simple. You don’t need to count calories because the Essen-tial Foods Plan is focused on providing optimal nutrition. In addition to supplements and two meal replacement shakes, the only counting you have to do is 1-2-2-2-5+. This represents the number of times you need to eat key foods to supply your body with essential nutrients. It’s simple: 1 fruit, 2 dairy/alternatives, 2 proteins (meat-based or vegetarian), 2 whole grains/starchy vegetables and 5+ vegetables. Don’t forget to HYDRATE! Exercise. Regular physical activity offers a variety of health benefits, including muscle tone, joint flexibility, cardio-vascular and respiratory health, burning calories and more. Find a way to move EVERY DAY. Start by walking for just 5-10 minutes. Increase that as you can to the recommended 60 minutes per day for successful weight loss. The Best exercise plan is the one that YOU will DO!

5 steps to a Healthier, happier you!

1.2.3.

5.

4.

35

creo

SHALE NEWS

Side effects of the Eagle Ford Shale boom—such as congested roadways, busy markets that routinely run out of goods, strain on our water resources and more noise in town and out—are sometimes frustrating to local residents. Texas law has also seen its fair share of side effects; one area that is rapidly evolving is the legal relationship between landowners and the oil companies. Here is a look at a few of the important evolutions and what may be yet to come.In Texas, pipeline companies have the right to take property by eminent domain because pipelines are considered to be built for a public purpose. In Texas Rice Land Partners Ltd. and Mike Latta v. Den-bury Green Pipeline-Texas LLC, the Texas Supreme Court created what is called a Denbury challenge—in short, if a pipeline operator comes knocking to take property, landowners now have a right to challenge whether the pipeline used by the operator is really going to be put to a public use. Paraphrased, the Supreme Court’s test for determining whether the Denbury pipeline was public or private is: There must be a reasonable probability that the pipeline will at some point after construction serve the public by transporting products for one or more customers who will either retain ownership of their materials or sell it to parties other than the carrier.Courts have also seen transformations in how the value of the land taken is deter-mined. Good news for landowners here,

as Texas courts have been friendly of late with respect to assessing damages. In La-Salle Pipeline, L.P. v. Donnell Lands, L.P., the district court in McMullen County awarded a landowner damages for the devaluation to all his remaining tracts, in addition to the price of the actual property being condemned for the pipeline. The trial court’s award was affirmed by the San Antonio Court of Appeals last year, and the case is now final.What’s on tap for 2014? The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals case titled Potts v. Chesa-peake may shed light on whether a lease may eliminate post-production charges from being taken out of the royalty pay-ment, and therefore be paid royalties based only on the market price. Potts’ lease read that the royalty paid to Potts should not be less than his actual royalty share from the sale of oil and/or gas. The lease provided that all royalties paid to Potts would be “free of all costs and expenses related to the exploration, production and market-ing of oil and gas production from the lease including, but not limited to, costs of compression, dehydration, treatment and transportation.” You might think that a lease providing that a landowner takes “free and clear” of these post-production costs would mean just that, but previous court decisions in Texas have muddied the issue. The Potts case should be followed by landowners who may be frustrated by having to pay part of the oil company’s post-production costs.

On January 7, 2014, the Texas Supreme Court heard argument in a case titled Environmental Processing Systems, L.C. v. FPL Farming Ltd. In this case out of Liberty County, the 9th Court of Appeals ruled that the migration of wastewater from one tract to another – 2 miles below the surface – was a trespass against the neighboring tract. Approximately five years after contesting the permit for the deep wastewater disposal, the owner of a neighboring tract sued the disposal company alleging that a waste plume had migrated beneath its property, and claimed that the waste plume polluted the briny water deep below the surface. The Supreme Court held that a person hold-ing a permit issued by the TCEQ was not shielded “from civil tort liability that may result from actions governed by the permit.” If this ruling holds, a landowner might be able to assert a claim for damages due to wastewater disposal practices on an adjacent property or seek injunctive relief to prevent the trespass. It goes without saying that this ruling could have a signifi-cant impact on the wastewater disposal industry.Texas landowners, especially over oil productive areas, should keep in mind the continuing changes to their property rights. As it is designed to do, the law will continue to evolve with the times. This quote from the Supreme Court’s Denbury opinion is telling: “[John] Locke deemed the preservation of property rights ‘[t]he

continue on pg. 40

Eagle Ford Land Notesby: James Carter

photo courtesy by: James Carter

37

creo

OILFIELD LIFE: TRAVEL

Texas Oil and Gas families, outside the military, there is no other profession which separates you more from your loved ones. You or your spouse’s work is essential and critical in helping to fuel the needs of families across the nation. Thanks for your sacrifice & dedi-cation day in and day out to keep us comfortable and moving.When you do have those precious days together, there is nothing as special as creating memory moments. Yes, it could be a night out for the family enjoying dinner and a movie. Or, you could create those moments through a weekend getaway, extended weekends or week long trips.At Creating Memory Moments Travel, my goal is to help you find the dream destination for you as a couple or the perfect vacation for the entire family. A cruise of 4-7 days may be just the right time away. Several fabulous family friendly cruise lines depart from nearby Galveston, TX. You will have your choice of cruises that are economical to lavish with beautiful ports to visit along the Carib-bean or Mexico. Today’s cruises are not what they were 10 years ago…packed with wonderful staterooms, dining options, shows and activities for the entire family.I just returned from a Grand Canyon Railway Tour to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. Most certainly an ideal vacation spot for the entire family. Many options available You may choose the ultimate in experiences at some of the finest resorts. Imagine an all-inclusive resort at Sandals or Beaches, which brings you and your spouse/family together as never before. Sandals defined the first All Inclusive resort and changed how people look at travel. You can choose from a number of amazing properties which includes Sandals/Beaches as well as other beautiful resort properties which include Starwood, Melia, AMResorts and more across Mexico and the CaribbeanWith so many options to choose from…here are my Travel Tips: How many days for your vacation? What is your maximum budget? What the most important elements you want to experience while on your vacation? Beach Activities for kids and teens

Land or Sea/Land All Inclusive or European Plan Adventure Water sports, activities Family Focused or Adult Only Tour or Independent Travel The list is endless…choose the top 3-4. If you want to go to an international location, obtaining a Passport as soon as possible for all travelers is criticalMy connections with travel suppliers across the world, allows me to offer you more selections and choices. I am here to help you find the perfect vacation that will bring you a lifetime of memory making moments. Bio:Coach Cathy Buchanan, Certified Travel AgentCoach Cathy has a background as a Registered Nurse, Teacher and High School Volleyball Coach. In 2001, Cathy was introduced to the wonderful world of being a travel agent. As a Home Based Certified Travel Agent,

Coach Cathy specializes in Cruises, All-Inclusive Resorts, Hon-eymoons as well as Everything Disney. She enjoys working with couples & families to create memory moments that lasts a lifetime. Having been a Navy Officers Wife & mother of 2 daughters, Coach Cathy understands the challenges and complexities that come with having a parent working away from home for extended periods of time. Coach Cathy is a member of CLIA, College of Disney Knowledge Graduate, Specialist Norwegian Cruise Lines and completing her Specialist Certification with Sandals & Beaches Resorts. Contact Coach Cathy to discuss your travel desires and interests. You will experience her commitment to detail and personal touch. You can reach her @ 435-252-0559 or [email protected]://CreatingMemoryMoments.com38

creo

OILFIELD LIFE: FAMILY

What child or child in each of us doesn’t want to be a cowboy or cowgirl? Well enough of dreaming about it...This is your opportunity to enjoy just that. Enchanted Springs Ranch is an enchanted land full of Old Towne buildings and rugged roads, along with a hilly country land filled with lush streams and animals.

What other place is there that is family-friendly and teaches young people about being a cowboy/cowgirl? There is no other like Enchanted Springs. Enchanted Springs is an 86 acre working ranch with an Old West Towne that was originally designed for western mov-ies. Many movies have been filmed on the ranch. It is located in Boerne, Texas and is considered by Oprah as one of the best family attractions in the United States.

Young girls get inspired by Pistol Packing Paula, the 6 shooter World champion. Fun activities are happen-ing non-stop with lots of entertainment and fun wagon tours. Enjoy a chuck wagon dinner in the saloon with great bar-b-que and a fun dance hall and live band play-ing the best Texas country. Cash bars are open for adult beverages and entertainment.

An old western town right out of the 1800’s. The town is the perfect event location & party venue for corporate events/meetings, weddings, rehearsal dinners, reunions, team building, and birthday parties.

Enchanted Springs is offering companies a chance to try a fun, unique and innovative event location for team building exercises. Corporations of all sizes looking for a new way to help their employees improve their co-operation and ability to work together will find a set of entertaining, educational and customizable options for their next outing.

Located on 86 acres of beautifully breathtaking Texas Land, Enchanted Springs Ranch offers an extensive se-lection of enjoyable activities that help it stand out as an event location for team building. With games, competi-tons and even some educational aspects, they combine the spirit of the Old West with the basic principles of

business, giving companies the chance to build on the trust and teamwork of their employees in a fun and unique manner.

Those who do business in the areas of San Antonio, Austin, Boerne, Fredericks-burg and Kerville will find Enchanted Springs Ranch is within extremely close proximity, while companies visiting from out of town have several options for nearby hotels with full amenities. Enchanted Springs Ranch also helps businesses with booking accommodations for the days and nights they will attend by locating the best hotel for their needs, and guests have the ability to fully customize their selection of activities according to their requirements and budget.

Businesses looking for an innovative and fun event location for their next team building exercise can contact Enchanted Springs Ranch directly or can book on-line at their convenience by visiting http://www.enchantedspringsranch.com.

enchanted SpringSranch...

the beSt family attractionby: Jennifer Larivey

39

©2012 BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc. All rights reserved. Butler Manufacturing™ is a division of BlueScope Buildings North America, Inc.

*The Metal Initiative. “Low Slope Roo�ng Life Cycle Cost Analysis.” Ducker Research Company, May 2005.

When you need twice the protection from one roof, you need Butler Manufacturing™. The MR-24 roof system is the number one standing-seam roof system with 40+ years of in-place performance—and it's proven to last up to twice as long as conventional roofs. Protect your investment with the best in the business. Call us, your local Butler Builder , to learn more.

®

®

More return on your investment.

Contact us at 830-379-4851




®

®



When you need twice the

protection from one roof, you

need Butler ManufacturingTM.

The MR-24® roof system is the

number one standing-seam

roof system with 40+ years of

in-place performance – and it’s

proven to last up to twice as long

as conventional roofs. Protect

your investment with the best in

the business. Call us, your local

Butler Builder®, to learn more.




®

®






®

®



WEBCAST & SEALED BID AUCTIONDRILLING RIGS, SUPPORT& RIG TRANSPORTATION

(4) Trailer Mounted & (4) Substructure DrillingRigs 750hp - 1250hp, Complete Rig TransportationDivision. Rig-Up, Gin & Winch Trucks and HeavyHaul Trailers, Plus... Tubulars, Components,Vehicle Fleet, Shop Equipment and More…

800-758-TIGER (8443) • www.SoldTiger.com

By Order of US Bankruptcy Court – WEST TEXAS DRILLING COMPANY

LIVE WEBCAST AUCTION: June 4, 2014SEALED BID AUCTION CLOSES: June 13, 2014

TEXAS OIL & GAS MAGAZINE1/4 Page

May/June Issue

Sandia Drilling Company

Continued from pg. 37

great and chief end’ of government, a view this Court echoed almost 300 years later, calling it ‘one of the most important purposes of government.’ Indeed, our Constitution and laws enshrine landownership as a keystone right, rather than one ‘relegated to the status of a poor relation.’”

Cutline: Good news for landowners—land seizure, land value, as well as waste water disposal practices are all being exam-ined by Texas courts as oil and gas development grows in the Eagle Ford Shale region.

Eagle Ford Land Notes is written by James Carter, a San An-tonio attorney with Drought, Drought & Bobbitt who focuses on land, mineral rights and estates. Email is [email protected] or (210) 225-4031

creo

WEBCAST & SEALED BID AUCTIONDRILLING RIGS, SUPPORT& RIG TRANSPORTATION

(4) Trailer Mounted & (4) Substructure DrillingRigs 750hp - 1250hp, Complete Rig TransportationDivision. Rig-Up, Gin & Winch Trucks and HeavyHaul Trailers, Plus... Tubulars, Components,Vehicle Fleet, Shop Equipment and More…

800-758-TIGER (8443) • www.SoldTiger.com

By Order of US Bankruptcy Court – WEST TEXAS DRILLING COMPANY

LIVE WEBCAST AUCTION: June 4, 2014SEALED BID AUCTION CLOSES: June 13, 2014

TEXAS OIL & GAS MAGAZINE1/4 Page

May/June Issue

Sandia Drilling Company

OILFIELD INSPIRATION

One of the greatest quotes on leadership is from one of my favorite motivational mentors, John C. Maxwell. “A Leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” Developing those leadership skills can come naturally to some but most people have to practice. I have always believed that the first thing you have to do is become a servant. The greatest and most famous servant known is Jesus Christ. He took his disciples and showed them the way to being more than just a follower but to lead others when He left this earth. How many of us take the time to show others how to do a better job or mentor someone in becoming a better citizen? Mentoring and leadership go hand in hand. Many times we think we have to reach perfection before we even get started but we don’t. Don’t wait for the perfect moment in life to do it. Take the moment and make it Perfect. As a leader, many depend on your knowledge and wisdom but most importantly people watch you to see how you respond to different situations. As leaders, we are tested more than anyone else and we need to be aware of our actions. Being prepared as a leader is vital and you will heavily depend on your communication skills. Communication is a two way street, you can think that you are a great communica-tor but maybe you are just a great speaker but if no one is listening then the reality is that you may not be as great as you thought. Communication also requires a great listener. Listen to your audience. You have to know that you are reaching even the person who seems the least interested. How many times do we attend employee meetings and we look around to see maybe 5 % are truly listening and the others have been disengaged for a while? Make sure that as a leader, you keep your team engaged and interested in your lessons. Mentoring and leadership are challenging. But with the hope of wanting to show the way and being ready to step in and go the extra mile for someone will make all of the difference. Until next time… ~Jennifer Larivey, President of TOGPN

41

AvAilAble SquAre feet

totAl AvAilAble 160,000

ContiguouS SPACe 120,000

A Property

Green EnergyMeet Green Space.

Burnett Plaza provides park views and green space.Fort Worth, Texas supplies the center of the oil & gas business.

ContACt

jACk A. ClArk 817-336-4002

[email protected]

StePhAnie olSon 817-336-4007

[email protected]

MAin 817.877.3300 roreAlty.CoM

Call today to visit Burnett Plaza.

Burnett Plaza provides easy access to Houston’s energy multinationals and the production fields of Midland-Odessa. A prestigious Class A office that’s a recognized leader in energy-management and green architecture award winner, offering superior amenities including direct access to international and private airports all with majestic park views. Relocate to the nation’s energy nexus and watch your oil and gas business grow.

creo

LET USPROMOTE

YOURBUSINESS!

TEXAS OIL & GAS PROFESSIONALS NETWORKPROMOTE - INSPIRE - NETWORK - CONNECT - SUPPORT - SYNERGIZE - EMPOWER!

www.TexasOilGasMagazine.comwww.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com210-853-0213

creo

SAVE THE DATE12.06.14

TEXAS OIL & GAS PROFESSIONALS NETWORKis proud to announce

The 1st Annual Black Gold Gala

Enchanted Springs Ranch, Boerne, Texas

Co-Chairs: Mr. & Mrs. Troy & Meg Blair, Azavachy Energy Ms. Jennifer Larivey, Texas Oil & Gas Magazine

Black Tie

VIP SPECIAL Cocktail Hour & Entertainment 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Presenting Sponsors:Dinner: 6:30 pm to 7:30 pmDancing & Live Band: 8:00 pm to 11:00 pmVIP AfterParty: 11:30 pm til ?

VIP activities are for Sponsors only...

Partial proceeds go to: TOGPN Scholarship Fund

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!LIMITED SEATING!

Graphics by: For More Information: www.TexasOilGasMagazine.com www.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com email: [email protected]

creo

News from TCEQ

TCEQ Chairman Bryan W. Shaw appointed by EPA to Border Environmental Committee

Bryan W. Shaw, Ph.D.

TCEQ Chairman Bryan W. Shaw, Ph.D., P.E., has been named to the EPA’s Good Neighbor Environmental Board by EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.

Shaw was appointed this month as the State of Texas representative, for the term ending March 9, 2015. The GNEB is an independent federal advisory committee. Its mission is to advise the President and Congress of the United States on good neighbor practices along the U.S. border with Mexico. Its recommendations are focused on environmental infrastructure needs within the U.S. states contiguous to Mexico.

Created in 1992 by the Enterprise of the Americas Act, the GNEB issues an annual report to the President and the Congress on U.S.-Mexico border environmental and infrastructure projects, with the goal of improving the quality of life of residents in U.S. border states.

“I am humbled and honored to represent the State of Texas on the GNEB as it provides advice to the federal executive and legislative branches on addressing environmental infrastructure issues along our 1,950 mile border with Mexico,” Shaw said. In addition to serving on the GNEB, he also leads the TCEQ’s Border Initia-tive and is the U.S. state co-chair of two Border 2020 Regional Work Groups under the La Paz Agreement for the protection of the U.S.-Mexico border environment.

Shaw serves on the Executive Committee of the Environmental Council of the States. He received a bach-elor’s and master’s degree in agricultural engineering from TAMU and a doctorate degree in agricultural engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He also earned his professional engineer (P.E.) license in October 2013.

Contact:Terry Clawson

Phone512-239-0046

Pager512-657-0738

47

creo

www.altenergy.rrc.state.tx.us ● 800/64-CLEAR

CASE STUDY: LEWIS ENERGY GROUP Lewis Energy Group Phone: (210) 384-5408 10101 Reunion Place, Suite 100 Fax: (956) 948-5408 San Antonio, Texas 78216 Fleet Manager: Chuck Anderson [email protected] BACKGROUND FACTS Annual miles driven: 27,360,000 Current annual usage of natural gas: 216,000 gasoline gallon equivalents Year natural gas introduced in fleet: 2012 FLEET FACTS Total vehicles:

87 CNG 597 Gasoline 150 Diesel

Total by vehicle type: 0 sedans 540 light-duty trucks 150 heavy-duty trucks

Refueling facilities onsite: Completed January 1, 2014 Type: Fast Fill Time to fill: 6 gallons/minute Years using natural gas: 6 months NATURAL GAS COST SAVINGS Natural Gas Cost: $1.50 internal cost calculated @ $5.00 MCF Diesel Cost: $3.20 Annual savings to fleet through use of natural gas: Projected savings after station is installed and all light fleet vehicles are converted (4-year plan) will exceed $10M in first five years. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS/QUOTES Additional Comments: Our conversion plan is to do 12 vehicles a month for first four years, to convert our entire light-duty fleet of 540 pickups. Year two plans are to replace heavy trucks with CNG or LNG engines as the technology becomes available for high horsepower applications, along with current plans to supplement fuel for drilling rigs and our fracturing fleets on LNG. We completed our goal of converting two rigs to LNG by the end of the 2nd quarter 2013.We intend to convert three frac fleets by end of the 4th quarter 2014.

RRC CASE STUDY

48

creo

Reports from Texas RRCDATE 02/14/2014 RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS PAGE 1

TEXAS LARGEST GAS PRODUCERS (BASED ON PRODUCTION FROM JANUARY, 2013 THROUGH DECEMBER, 2013)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TWELVE-MONTH DAILY AVERAGE RANK IN % OF STATE PRODUCTION PRODUCTION STATE NAME PRODUCTION MCF MCF ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 XTO ENERGY INC. 11.908 743,849,341 2,037,943 2 DEVON ENERGY PRODUCTION CO, L.P. 10.880 679,626,420 1,861,990 3 CHESAPEAKE OPERATING, INC. 9.771 610,353,120 1,672,200 4 ANADARKO E&P ONSHORE LLC 5.594 349,403,402 957,270 5 EOG RESOURCES, INC. 4.017 250,928,503 687,475 6 ENERVEST OPERATING, L.L.C. 2.440 152,421,311 417,593 7 PIONEER NATURAL RES. USA, INC. 2.349 146,744,838 402,041 8 LEWIS PETRO PROPERTIES, INC. 1.945 121,492,017 332,855 9 BHP BILLITON PET(TXLA OP) CO 1.799 112,347,025 307,800 10 BURLINGTON RESOURCES O & G CO LP 1.698 106,042,629 290,528 11 QUICKSILVER RESOURCES INC. 1.697 105,977,672 290,350 12 OXY USA INC. 1.613 100,747,494 276,021 13 CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY 1.523 95,146,389 260,675 14 SM ENERGY COMPANY 1.515 94,602,010 259,184 15 APACHE CORPORATION 1.499 93,662,588 256,610 16 SAMSON LONE STAR, LLC 1.376 85,957,997 235,501 17 ENCANA OIL & GAS(USA) INC. 1.293 80,778,415 221,311 18 LINN OPERATING, INC. 1.244 77,707,912 212,898 19 BP AMERICA PRODUCTION COMPANY 1.108 69,206,827 189,608 20 CHEVRON U. S. A. INC. 1.074 67,062,095 183,732 21 ROSETTA RESOURCES OPERATING LP 0.996 62,242,658 170,528 22 SABINE OIL & GAS LLC 0.919 57,427,271 157,335 23 HILCORP ENERGY COMPANY 0.852 53,236,273 145,853 24 SHELL WESTERN E&P 0.822 51,373,027 140,748 25 HIGHMOUNT EXPL & PROD TEXAS LLC 0.663 41,410,456 113,453 26 UNIT PETROLEUM COMPANY 0.654 40,854,639 111,931 27 SANDRIDGE EXPL. AND PROD., LLC 0.654 40,845,911 111,907 28 PREMIER NATURAL RESOURCES II,LLC 0.654 40,841,252 111,894 29 LEGEND NATURAL GAS IV, LP 0.648 40,481,035 110,907 30 VALENCE OPERATING COMPANY 0.541 33,790,644 92,577 31 SWIFT ENERGY OPERATING, LLC 0.533 33,323,383 91,297 32 MEWBOURNE OIL COMPANY 0.533 33,290,660 91,207 ______ ______________ ___________ TOP 32 TOTAL 74.812 4,673,175,214 12,803,222

DATE 02/14/2014 RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS PAGE 1 TEXAS LARGEST OIL PRODUCERS (BASED ON PRODUCTION FROM JANUARY, 2013 THROUGH DECEMBER, 2013) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TWELVE-MONTH DAILY AVERAGE RANK IN % OF STATE PRODUCTION PRODUCTION STATE NAME PRODUCTION BARRELS BARRELS ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1 EOG RESOURCES, INC. 9.017 63,402,417 173,705 2 OCCIDENTAL PERMIAN LTD. 5.886 41,383,449 113,379 3 CHESAPEAKE OPERATING, INC. 5.594 39,331,634 107,758 4 APACHE CORPORATION 3.908 27,480,809 75,290 5 PIONEER NATURAL RES. USA, INC. 3.858 27,128,503 74,325 6 BURLINGTON RESOURCES O & G CO LP 3.396 23,879,748 65,424 7 MARATHON OIL EF LLC 3.201 22,506,864 61,663 8 KINDER MORGAN PRODUCTION CO LLC 2.870 20,176,240 55,277 9 XTO ENERGY INC. 2.598 18,269,605 50,054 10 MURPHY EXPL. & PROD. CO. - USA 2.276 16,001,541 43,840 11 GEOSOUTHERN ENERGY CORPORATION 1.880 13,218,809 36,216 12 COG OPERATING LLC 1.807 12,708,270 34,817 13 OXY USA WTP LP 1.713 12,041,243 32,990 14 FREEPORT-MCMORAN OIL & GAS LLC 1.669 11,732,948 32,145 15 ENERGEN RESOURCES CORPORATION 1.634 11,487,543 31,473 16 CHEVRON U. S. A. INC. 1.585 11,145,720 30,536 17 EP ENERGY E&P COMPANY, L.P. 1.519 10,679,316 29,258 18 ENDEAVOR ENERGY RESOURCES L.P. 1.245 8,754,228 23,984 19 SHERIDAN PRODUCTION COMPANY, LLC 1.089 7,653,836 20,969 20 HESS CORPORATION 1.022 7,185,669 19,687 21 DEVON ENERGY PRODUCTION CO, L.P. 0.852 5,993,854 16,422 22 PENN VIRGINIA OIL & GAS, L.P. 0.828 5,824,110 15,956 23 CARRIZO (EAGLE FORD) LLC 0.809 5,688,465 15,585 24 FASKEN OIL AND RANCH, LTD. 0.801 5,632,647 15,432 25 LAREDO PETROLEUM, INC. 0.797 5,604,451 15,355 26 OXY USA INC. 0.781 5,493,967 15,052 27 DENBURY ONSHORE, LLC 0.768 5,397,165 14,787 28 BHP BILLITON PET(TXLA OP) CO 0.752 5,284,068 14,477 29 HUNT OIL COMPANY 0.751 5,277,246 14,458 30 CONOCOPHILLIPS COMPANY 0.681 4,789,616 13,122 31 ANADARKO E&P ONSHORE LLC 0.669 4,701,848 12,882 32 COMSTOCK OIL & GAS, LP 0.628 4,414,819 12,095 ______ ______________ ___________ TOP 32 TOTAL 66.884 470,270,648 1,288,413

49

creo

50

Rates: The word rate is $10.95 per word for one issue,$10.00 per word, per issue for three prepaid issues. Minimum ad is 12 words. The display rate is

$375 per column inch for one issue or $1500 for entire year with App Bonus. TOG Magazine’s subscription circulation is over 100,000. TOG Magazine has an advertising plan for every budget that is affordable and

effective.

TOG Magazine is published 6 times a year, bi-monthly.The closing date is on the 1st of the month, two months

prior to the cover date. Place you ad by emailing

[email protected].

Texas Oil & Gas Magazine, Sales Dept

4 Dominion Drive Bldg 4 Ste 250 San Antonio, TX 78257

210.853.0213

TOG MARKETPLACE SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

CONTACT US TO SCHEDULE YOUR PLANT TOUR 210-804-0390

EmAiL SAmPLES@SHwEiki fOR A fREE qUOTE OR CALL 512-480-0860

Hassle Free PrintingWe Take Printing Seriously…Not Ourselves.

5,000 postcards $149 • 10,000 flyers $349 • 1,000 magazines $995 (16 pages, 60# paper)

Visit us at www.shweiki.com

creo

51

creo

The Official Magazine of Texas Oil & Gas Professionals Network

DEVON ENERGY...New Ideas Unlock Unconventional Resources

Are the Russkies Funding Fractivists?

Troy Blair...Azavachy Energy

Save the Date

Living with Threatened

and Endangered

Species...

www.TexasOilGasMagazine.comwww.OilGasNetworkingGroup.com

TOG App

12-06-14

creo

Texas Oil & Gas

Documents

Transcript of Texas Oil & Gas