American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2016 - 114

that into context by pointing out that today,
the country has approximately 1 terawatt
of total generating capacity from all sources.
Using the Department of Energy's
analysis that the capacity density of wind
energy is 3 watts per square meter, Bryce
calculated that the 1.7 terawatts of landbased wind power Jacobson's plan demands would require 550,000 square
kilometers-an area the size of France.
"We are seeing the rise of the anti-environment environmentalist," Bryce
summed. "Climate tops everything. Forget
people, landscapes and wildlife."
He observed that in the past 18 months,
more than 100 governmental entities
across the country had taken action to
reject or restrict onshore wind projects,
including two Democratic state senators
in Bernie Sanders' home of Vermont.
"The idea that we are going to build
wind energy on such a massive scale is
laughable, but it goes to the heart of this
idea that CO2 is bad," Bryce concluded.
"This scarcity ideology and push for
drastic CO2 reductions isn't just a threat

IPANM keynoter Robert Bryce (right) responds to a question from David Henderson
(left), executive vice president of Seely Oil Company in Fort Worth. Bryce discussed how
a scarcity mentality coupled with climate alarmism was distorting U.S. energy policy.

to the oil and gas industry. It is a threat to
the entire American economy. Our politics
and energy policies effectively have been

hijacked by a lot of ideological zealots
who don't care about physics. They are
selling mirages."
r

Kentucky

New Team Will Lead KOGA Forward
By Del Torkelson
FRANKFORT, KY.-The Kentucky
Oil & Gas Association has entered a new
era, and new President Maurice Royster
expresses enthusiasm about the group's
direction. "It is an exciting time," describes
Royster, who is manager of government
affairs for Kentucky and Virginia at EQT
Corp. in Johnson City, Tn. "KOGA is
positioned to be one of Kentucky's premier
organizations."

SAWYERS

COLE

Among the strengths he says will help
the group attain that status are its members
and engaged Board of Directors, qualities
that were evident to KOGA's newest staff
members-Executive Director Matt
Sawyers and Associate Director Laura
Cole-even before they were hired.
According to Cole, she was too happy

at her previous job at the Kentucky Broadcasters Association to express any interest
when former Associate Director Astrud
Masterson initially encouraged her to
consider the KOGA position. She conveyed her intention not to switch jobs
during a subsequent conversation with
Royster, she recalls, but he prevailed on
her to meet with him, KOGA's thenPresident Rudy Vogt of Cumberland
Valley Resources LLC, and Treasurer
Lauren Slone with Quality Natural Gas
LLC.
In the space of a short lunch, Cole recounts, the excitement and organizational
support she detected changed her mind.
"It was seeing the kind of association
and membership I would work with on a
day-to-day basis," she says. "It is all
about the quality of the organization and
its membership."
Sawyers says he detects the same
characteristics. "I look for strong organizations and smart people," he explains.
"KOGA has been around for 80 years
and is full of experts who clearly are
deeply involved in the association's success. The first time I spoke with KOGA
members, I could tell they were very
passionate about their organization."
KOGA's Board of Directors was impressed with Sawyers' experience working
in the administration of Governor Steve

114 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

Beshear, including a six-year stint as
deputy cabinet secretary for tourism, arts
and heritage. "He has a lot of excellent
experience in the political and regulatory
sides, and with business in general,"
Royster describes. "For him, it is a matter
of learning the industry, which is the
easy part. He has hit the ground running
and we are very excited to have Matt onboard."
According to Sawyers, his interview
and discussion with KOGA leaders suggested the executive director's job would
offer a good fit at an organization he perceived to possess great potential. "Many
of the qualities they were seeking in an
executive director aligned well with my
skill set and background," he relates.
"My goal entering this new position is to
add value to an already strong organization, well positioned for future success.
It helps that I am surrounded by a lot of
smart, capable people."
People Skills
As for traits and attributes they say
they expect to serve them well in their
new positions, Sawyers and Cole both
cite interpersonal skills.
For Sawyers, that can entail a general
unflappability in the sometimes roughand-tumble exchange of politics. "I typically try not to overreact," he acknowl-

American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2016

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