American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2018 - 119

One of the highlights of the California Independent Petroleum Association's annual meetings is its honoring individuals who have
contributed to the state's oil and gas induction. Presentations at
the gala dinner closing the 2018 meeting were marked by the costumes worn by CIPA Chairman Steve Layton and Chief Executive
Officer Rock Zierman, who gave the audience an association

your five minutes with them is over, you
feel accomplished because they paid attention to your story," Castro said.
"The second time we went, we got
more feedback from the legislators," she
recalled. "That makes you feel like you
are making a difference, and legislators
are paying attention. They are taking our
stories in, and realizing that we are just
people trying to make a living and raise
our children. We are doing something
help them change their minds."
Larrea repeated Castro's point, saying
during his legislative visits he would look
around the offices and see photographs
of family members. "I told one assembly
member that, (I am) just like you, trying
to put food on the table for my family. I
think he heard that. At the end of the day,
the regulations that they pass have impacts
throughout the communities. It does affect
us. At the end of the day, we are helping
secure careers for our families and children," he said.
Thomas reported that the workers'
visits were resonating with legislators,
saying that one recent statehouse vote
saw three legislators who did not normally
vote with industry support CIPA's opposition to a measure that would have hurt
domestic production. All three held sessions with the workers, he said.
"These legislators may not be with
the industry all the time, but if we can
move them from the 'forget-them' category to the 'fence-sitting' category, that
is a victory," Thomas described. "Then
it becomes a level playing field. I know
this is a day the employees are not at
work, but, we have to think long term.
This is my recommendation: when this
comes up next year, let's not have 30,
let's have 100 people in those offices
telling their stories."

version of Hamilton. LEFT: Zierman (left) and Layton ﬂank Trent
Rosenlieb of Berry Petroleum, recipient of the Glenn Ferguson
Award. RIGHT: Ryan Nielsen (center), with Brown Armstrong Accountancy, poses with Zierman and Layton after receiving the Bud
McFarland Award.

Recognition
CIPA honored four people during the
annual meeting. For the first time, the
association presented the Emma Summers
Award to a woman who has played a
leadership role in the viability of California's independent oil and gas producing
industry. The award commemorates Summers, the Oil Queen of California, who
came to the state in 1893 to teach piano.
A half-interest in a prospective well grew
into ownership of 14 wells, producing
50,000 barrels a month, in addition to 40
horses, 10 wagons and a blacksmith shop.
CIPA presented the initial Emma Summers
Award to Debra Montalvo Russell, the
vice president of community relations
and real estate operations for Signal Hill
Petroleum Inc.
The 2018 recipient of the C.C. "Bud"

Albright Award, conferred on an individual outside the oil and gas industry
whose efforts have contributed to the
vitality of the state's independent producers, was Kern County Planning Director Lorelei Oviatt.
Trent Rosenlieb, director of government
and regulatory affairs for Berry Petroleum,
received the Glenn Ferguson Award. It
honors a CIPA member who has contributed to the association's success and
advanced the understanding and appreciation of the independent oil and gas
producing industry.
The Bud McFarland Award, given to
an associate member who has contributed
to CIPA's success, was presented to Ryan
Nielsen, a principal with Brown Armstrong
Accountancy.
r

LCFS Credits Could Support
More California Oil Production
SAN DIEGO-California's oil and gas
sector may face an existential threat, but
Steven Bohlen, program manager for energy and homeland security at Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory, said steps
could be taken to create positive, new
protections for the industry.
Addressing the California Independent
Petroleum Association's annual convention, held June 7-10 in San Diego, Bohlen
recalled his experiences in a previous
government job in Sacramento. "Californians love to drive; all the transportation
in the state consumes almost 1 billion
miles a day; it is all powered by petroleum
products, whether it be jet fuel, diesel or

gasoline."
State officials have been applauding
their own efforts to make California carbon-neutral by reducing carbon dioxide
emissions through the Low Carbon Fuel
Standard (LCFS) program, he observed.
However, Bohlen asserted unless California significantly cut emissions from
transportation sources-which accounted
for almost 40 percent of the state's emissions-it would not reach its goal of lowering greenhouse gas levels.
"The new wrinkle is the opportunity
to take CO2, and sequester it to get LCSF
credits," Bohlen said. "Probably the lowest
hanging fruit is to take CO2, which already
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American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2018

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