American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2019 - 84

ConventionSection: Arkansas Independent Producers & Royalty Owners
amount, county governments already might
have spent it by the time a taxpayer won
the case."
Under HB 1659, real property assessments can be appealed to county court
instead of first having to go through an

equalization board appointed by the county
judge, he reviews.
HB 1720 addresses stiffer penalties
for incidental damage to oil and gas property or other damages when a theft occurs,
Baker says. With damages of $250 in ad-

dition to theft of oil and gas productionrelated equipment, crime classifications
escalate, he says. For example, damages
and theft formerly considered a class A
misdemeanor are now a Class D felony.
❒

AIPRO To Convene In Early October
LITTLE ROCK, AR.-Members of the
Arkansas Independent Producers and
Royalty Owners Association will gather
for their annual convention, Oct. 1 at the
Hilton Garden Inn in West Little Rock,
to hear the latest political and regulatory
developments, gain insights from industry
leaders, and take the time to honor an
educator who is promoting the industry
in the classroom.
Lackluster natural gas prices have discouraged drilling, but companies are
working to improve production through
workovers and recompletions as the industry continues to undergo a transition
in the Natural State, relates AIPRO President Richard Walt.
"Our industry will always have highs
and lows, but we are fortunate that our
people understand the challenges and are
moving forward," reflects Walt, vice president at J. David Reynolds Company, an
independent oil producer headquartered in
Camden, Ar. "It's not a very active time

for exploration in our area, or the rest of
the state, but we have recovered from 2016
and we are maintaining what we have. I
am a small independent producer in southern
Arkansas and am grateful for AIPRO and
the opportunities it provides for our industry
to stay connected and have a strong voice."
Strong Slate
The Arkansas industry has witnessed
large asset sales, Walt observes, pointing
to Dallas-based Merit Energy Company's
acquisition of BHP's Fayetteville shale assets, Oklahoma City-based Flywheel Energy's purchase of Southwestern Energy
Company's Fayetteville Shale properties
and Mission Creek Resources coming into
the South Arkansas oil patch with the purchase of Bonanza Creek's assets. These
new players are taking an active role in
AIPRO's work, he adds, which includes
showing themselves to be strong supporters
of the association's 11th annual gathering.
This year's meeting features a one-

Mission Creek Resources Geologist Janet McAlee (right) talks with educators at the 2019
teacher energy education workshop, held in South Arkansas, near Magnolia. AIPRO notes
that the Arkansas Energy Rocks energy education program for grades K-12 also has held
teacher education workshops in energy producing regions near the Arkansas communities
of Fort Smith and Conway.

84 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER

day format to give attending members
the opportunity to enjoy the meeting and
then get back to business quickly, he says.
"Changing the format from two days
to one will allow us to focus the content
and provide better value," Walt suggests.
"We are going to have great speakers
and have a busy day with a lot of interaction. Little Rock is a good central meeting
place for members who produce in the
different parts of the state."
The program kicks off at 9:30 a.m.
and culminates in a 4 p.m. reception,
says Executive Director Rodney Baker.
Speakers include T.M. "Roe" Patterson,
chief executive officer at Basic Energy
Services, who has authored a book about
his father titled Crude Blessings: The
Amazing Life Story of Glenn Patterson,
American Oilman.
The rags-to-riches story of the elder
Patterson's perseverance and road to success
is a favorite of AIPRO members, Baker
says. "We have had comments from members with an interest in Patterson's story
and he has graciously consented to be a
part of our program," Baker relates.
Also speaking will be Bruce Randall,
owner of Coiled Tubing Specialties LLC
in Tulsa, who promotes radial hydraulic
jetting in well completions and workovers,
Baker says. Invitations have been extended
to other political and industry leaders
and analysts as well, he notes.
The association has invited Arkansas
Governor Asa Hutchinson and Arkansas
House Speaker Matthew Shepherd, R-El
Dorado, who AIPRO says is likely to be
elected to a second term as speaker. Senator
Bruce Maloch, D-Magnolia, a well-respected public official with oil and gas
production in his district, has agreed to
talk to AIPRO members and discuss legislative issues from the session that adjourned
in April and perhaps address what's ahead
in Arkansas public policy, Baker reports.
The Next Generation
Members also are expected to get an
update from Paige Miller, director of
Arkansas Energy Rocks, about the success

American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2019

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