American Oil and Gas Reporter - February 2015 - 123

ConventionSection: Texas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners

TIPRO Educates New Policymakers
AUSTIN, TX.-With oil prices fluctuating dramatically since last June, Raymond James Welder, chairman of the
Texas Independent Producers & Royalty
Owners Association, says now is a crucial
time for the oil and gas industry. Welder,
who serves as president and chief executive
officer of San Antonio-based Welder Exploration & Production Co., says he considers it important to sustain the growth
and prosperity for Texas' oil and gas
sector, particularly when commodity
prices are unstable and government entities
continue to propose and adopt new regulations.
And although neither Welder nor anyone in TIPRO's ranks can control the
market, Welder reminds members that
they can limit costs as well as utilize innovations that help streamline their operations. They also can influence how
state lawmakers and regulators perceive
the industry, and should continue to share
and emphasize statistics that reinforce
their contributions to the economy.
Welder urges TIPRO members to attend
the association's annual convention, scheduled for March 2-3 at the downtown
Sheraton Hotel in Austin, and consider
engaging in TIPRO's Capitol Call-Up
meetings during the convention's second
day of activities, in which members visit
key legislators. Continual turnover among
state lawmakers and more fresh faces
have made educating legislators about
the oil and gas industry as vital as ever,
Welder insists.
"There are a lot of new faces in the
legislature, which is wonderful, and a
big part of TIPRO's job is education," he
says. "It is a never ending job that is
critical for our members."
TIPRO's voice garners attention,
Welder indicates. "One of the things that
attracts me to TIPRO is its credibility
with elected officials and policymakers,"
Welder says. "Often, we reach consensus
on an issue and deliver TIPRO's view to
policymakers. But when we internally
do not reach a unanimous agreement, we
relay that as well. We have been very
transparent and very open with policymakers. Consequently, TIPRO's credibility
is unquestioned. I am very grateful for
that. It says a lot about the TIPRO staff
and membership. We serve both independent producers and royalty owners.
We agree most of the time, but when we

TIPRO Annual Meeting
Austin, Tx.
Monday, March 2
10 a.m. Registration Opens, Sheraton
Downtown Hotel
1 p.m. Welcome Address, TIPRO Chairman
Raymond James Welder
1:30 p.m. Federal Issues Update, Representative Bill Flores, R-Tx.
2:15 p.m. Regulatory Update, Chairman
Carlos Rubinstein, Texas Water Development Board
3 p.m. Break
3:15 p.m. Political Outlook Panel: Evan
Smith, Texas Tribune; Harvey Kronberg,
The Quorum Report
4:15 p.m. Economic Outlook
5:30 p.m. Legislative Reception

Tuesday, March 3
7:30 a.m. Registration Opens, Sheraton
Downtown Hotel
8 a.m. Membership Breakfast
9 a.m. State Issues Panel: Texas Representatives Chris Paddie, R-Marshall,
and Drew Darby, R-San Angelo
10 a.m. Mark Truax, Pac/West Communications
10:45 a.m. Break
11 a.m. Capitol Call-Up Information
11:45 a.m. Bus Departs for Saengerrunde
Hall
Noon Legislative Luncheon, Saengerrunde
Hall
2 p.m. Capitol Call-Up Meetings
4 p.m. Bus Departs for Hotel
6 p.m. Chairman's Reception
7 p.m. Chairman's Dinner

Wednesday, March 4
8:30 a.m. Audit Committee Meeting
10 a.m. Board of Directors Meeting

see things differently, we let lawmakers
know that, which translates into a deep
well of credibility."
New Faces
Every other year, when the legislature
meets, the association conducts its annual
meeting in Austin, TIPRO President Ed
Longanecker points out. "During those
in-session years, we really emphasize
state legislative and regulatory issues that
impact the industry," he says.
Following November's elections, the
GOP still controlled both chambers of
the Texas Legislature, but top executive
offices saw considerable turnover, Longanecker observes. "There are certainly

a lot of new faces, including a new governor, lieutenant governor, comptroller,
railroad commissioner, land commissioner
and agriculture commissioner, as well as
eight new freshmen senators and 24 freshman representatives in the Texas House,"
he says. "That means education will continue to be paramount. With commodity
prices falling, we have to reinforce the
importance of the Texas oil and gas industry to state and local economies. Our
focus will be providing freshmen legislators a general education while we also
remind more senior legislators about the
oil and gas industry's importance to the
state."
Some key leadership posts, including
the chairmanships of significant committees, will have the possibility of changing
this session because of shifts in Texas'
statewide leadership, relates TIPRO Government Affairs Director Lindsey Skinner.
"We also will have a considerable number
of one- and two-term legislators this year,
which lends itself to a higher possibility
of younger members receiving more
prominent positions on our committees
of jurisdiction," she observes.
Annual Convention
TIPRO's 69th annual convention will
kick off at 1 p.m. on Monday, March 2.
According to TIPRO, the afternoon's
presentations will include a federal issues
update featuring U.S. Representative Bill
Flores, R-Tx., who sits on the House
Budget and Natural Resources committees.
Later, Carlos Rubinstein, chair of the
Texas Water Development Board, will
provide a regulatory update.
Evan Smith, CEO and editor-in-chief
of the Texas Tribune, and Harvey Kronberg, editor of The Quorum Report, also
will participate in a political outlook
panel during the TIPRO meeting. Longanecker also highlights a legislative reception, which is scheduled for that
evening.
The next day's events begin with a
membership breakfast. Following a state
issues panel featuring representatives Chris
Paddie, R-Marshall, and Drew Darby, RSan Angelo, Mark Truax, senior manager
for Pac/West Communications, will discuss
local bans on hydraulic fracturing and related moratoria in other states. Pac/West
SEE TIPRO PAGE 135
FEBRUARY 2015 123

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