American Oil and Gas Reporter - October 2017 - 73

SpecialReport: LAGCOE Independents' Guide
Company, will provide a presentation on
doing business in Saudi Arabia and with
Aramco Services Company.
Tuesday's final international presentation will be a panel discussion focused
on Mexico's energy business climate.
Panelists include Gustavo HernandezGarcia, director of PEMEX E&P; Jesus
Serrano Landeros, commissioner on the
Mexico Energy & Regulatory Commission, Ernesto Rios Patron, director general
of the Insituto Mexicano del Petroleo,
and Matt McCarroll, president and CEO
of Fieldwood Energy.
Wednesday's international sessions kick
off with a panel on business opportunities
in Canada with Danielle McDaid, consul
and trade commissioner at the Canadian
Consulate in Houston, Delon Chan, consul
and trade commissioner at the Canadian
Consulate General in Dallas, and Crystal
Roberts, senior commercial specialist at
the U.S. Commercial Service in Calgary.
Wednesday's international sessions
continue at 11 a.m. with Jim Bowen,
president of Momentum Development
Corporation discussing avoiding pitfalls
when doing business overseas. A panel
session on opportunities and challenges
in Colombia offshore exploration will
begin at 1:30 p.m. Panelists include Sergio
Hoyos, Latin America business unit facilities engineering manager at Chevron;
Omar Mejia, technical vice president at
Colombia National Hydrocarbons Agency;
Francisco Lloreda, president of the Colombian Petroleum Association; and Andrew
Mehlhop, vice president of international
exploration at Anadarko.
A look at business opportunities in
Ghana by Edward Appiah-Brafoh, human
capital manager at the Petroleum Commission of Ghana, and Lawrence Apaalse,
chief director of the Ghana Ministry of Petroleum, wrap up LAGCOE 2017's international presentations schedule at 3:45 p.m.
New Technology Showcase
Wednesday's program opens with
LAGCOE 2017's New Technology Showcase, sponsored by Drilling Contractor,
from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Five companies
from across the United States have been
selected to present as part of the New
Technology Showcase during LAGCOE

2017 LAGCOE Looey
only 12 members. The association
LAFAYETTE, LA.-LAGCOE is
would eventually change its name to
proud to honor Don Briggs, founding
the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association,
member and president of the Louisiana
and today represents 1,300 members
Oil & Gas Association, as LAGCOE
in the independent exploration, proLooey 2017. LAGCOE Looey is an
duction and servicing sectors of
honorary position given to someone
Louisiana's oil and gas industry.
who has shaped the oil and gas industry
Under Briggs' leadership, LOGA
through years of devoted hard work
has worked with governors, legislators
while continuously giving back to their
and members of congress
community.
from both sides of the
A Florida native, Brigaisle to ensure that the
gs headed to Florida State
culture of the oil and gas
University on a football
sector remains in
scholarship after graduLouisiana. Briggs is on
ating from Miami Senior
the front line of this issue,
High in 1959. After a coufighting to protect the
ple years at FSU, Briggs
industry and promote its
decided to take a summer
importance in Louisiana
job in Louisiana with
and the entire nation.
Owen Drilling Company.
While Briggs' profesLittle did he know that
sional accomplishments
his experience that sumDON BRIGGS
are impressive, he conmer working on a drilling
2017 LAGCOE Looey
siders his greatest acbarge not only would
complishments in life to
make him fall in love with
be his community service. When Katrina
Louisiana, but also with its oil and gas
ravaged South Louisiana in August
industry. Briggs would go on finish
2005, Briggs, along with the help of
his bachelor's degree at the University
the industry, was able to aid the recovery
of Southwestern Louisiana (now the
effort to the tune of more than $1 milUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette).
lion. In the devastating floods of 2016,
Within four of graduating from colBriggs dispensed funds to impacted
lege, Briggs started his first company,
families and individuals.
which eventually would grow into the
If you talk to Briggs about his life
conglomerate known as the Aztec Corand purpose, he will tell you that we
poration. Aztec serviced the oil and gas
are here to love our fellow man and to
industry from pipeline supplies to drilling
help those that are less fortunate. In
fluid. Briggs says that one of the proudest
the Lafayette community, he serves as
moments in his professional career was
a Eucharistic minister for St. Pius X
reading in The Wall Street Journal some
Catholic Church and is a founding
years later that Newpark Resources had
member of the Acadiana Outreach Cenacquired the Aztec Corporation.
ter that houses and ministers to mothers
In 1990, Briggs became the chairman
and children who have been victims of
of the board of the Louisiana Association
domestic abuse, among others. Briggs
of Independent Producers & Royalty
continues to serve as president of
Owners. Due to financial hard times,
LOGA, where he remains committed
LAIPRO was dissolved, and Briggs
to fight for Louisiana's oil and gas inwould go on to start the Louisiana Industry and serve in his community. ❒
dependent Oil & Gas Association with
OCTOBER 2017 73

American Oil and Gas Reporter - October 2017

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