American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2019 - 87

periences with controlling methane losses
and best available science. Flynn says
the suggestions include replacing highbleed pneumatic controllers with lowbleed units, onsite monitoring of manual
liquids unloading activities, and annual
leak detection and repair inspections.
Also recommended is an exemption for
low-production wells and facilities.
"We are hearing fear mongering and a
lot of talk about problems from environmental activist organizations, with no talk
about solutions," Flynn complains. "NMOGA decided to approach the issue from a
solutions perspective. Its member companies
identified the areas where industry was
seeing the greatest reduction in GHG emissions, the largest sources of emissions, and
where it could reduce emissions the most."
Flynn asserts addressing significant
GHG emissions first is pragmatic, and
adds that it is important for the industry to
lead on this issue. He praises the NMOGA
members that have decided to engage, but
rather than fighting with state officials or
opposing activist groups, those companies
have put their energies toward developing
solutions to address the problem.
The mitigation map project began several years ago, after the American Petroleum Institute and several oil and gas
companies collaborated on the Environmental Partnership, using an environmental
perspective to reduce impacts associated
with industry operations, Flynn recalls.
That partnership allowed participants to
learn from each other by sharing best
practices and information.
"We have to acknowledge the great
work that has taken place leading up to
where we are today, with industry deciding
it wants to lead in this initiative, work together and move the needle in a meaningful way," Flynn says.
The environmental partnership displays
the biggest difference between the oil
and gas industry and its critics, Flynn
maintains: The industry is moving ahead
and demonstrating its results.
"A lot of people who oppose the industry will talk, but they do not actually
show up with solutions," he says. "It
doesn't matter if they are in New Mexico
or North Dakota, California or Colorado,
people want solutions, not arguments
and name-calling. The oil and gas industry
always has been able to rely on innovation
to resolve problems. We now are putting
that spirit and commitment to innovation
toward solving the problem of climate
change by reducing methane emissions."
Regulating Methane
Whether it is a federal or state regulation governing methane emissions, Flynn

NMOGA Annual Meeting - Santa Fe, N.M.
Saturday, Oct. 5

8:30 a.m. Halliburton Golf Tournament,
Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe
8 p.m. Baker Hughes Inc. Reception, La
Fonda Hotel, Santa Fe

Sunday, Oct. 6

8:30 a.m. Schlumberger Golf Tournament,
Las Campanas Country Club
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Registration Desk Open,
Eldorado Hotel
6 p.m. NMOGA Opening Reception, Eldorado Hotel

Monday, Oct. 7

7:30-9 a.m. Membership Breakfast, Eldorado
Hotel
9-11:15 a.m. General Session, Eldorado
Hotel
Year in Review, NMOGA Chairman
Vicki Hollub, President and Chief Executive
Officer, Occidental Petroleum
Robert Phillips, Chairman, President and

points out, the bottom line for the oil and
gas industry is ensuring regulatory initiatives do not prohibit innovation. As
one example of regulatory challenges
facing operators, he cites New Mexico
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham ordering the departments of Environment
and Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources to create a new regulatory framework for methane control. According to
the governor's office, the state goal is to
cut GHG emissions at least 45 percent
below 2005 levels by 2030.
Flynn emphasizes that NMOGA member companies do not oppose regulations
covering methane or volatile organic compounds, saying they accept that sound, scientifically based regulation ensures a level
playing field for all operators while allowing
the public to feel confident that oil and gas
companies are operating responsibly.
"NMOGA is advocating is flexibility,"
he says. "The association wants regulations
that, at the end of the day, identify the
problem and develop the desired results
to protect human health and the environment. Let those companies develop the
best way to get to those solutions. Regulators should ensure accountability. Then,
when companies achieve those requirements, regulators can focus their efforts
on those who fail to meet them."
Problematic federal or state regulations
do not work, he warns, arguing against a
too-prescriptive regulatory approach that
mandates a specific technique for addressing
a particular issue. That method limits operators' ability to use their best resources,
and blocks vendors seeking to develop
new technologies that offer the most prom-

CEO, Crestwood Equity Partners
Noon-1:30 p.m. Membership Luncheon,
Santa Fe Convention Center
Sarah Thomas, First Female NFL Official
2-4 p.m. General Session
6 p.m. NMOGA Reception Honoring Board
of Directors, Santa Fe Convention Center

Tuesday, Oct. 8

7-9 p.m. Membership Breakfast, Eldorado
Hotel
8-9 a.m. Board of Directors Meeting
9-9:30 a.m. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham
10-10:30 a.m. Membership Meeting
Election of 2020 Officers
Election of Incoming Board Members
Presentation and Approval of 2020 Budget
10:30-11:30 a.m. General Session
Deanna Jones, Vice President, HR, Communications and Administration,
Marathon Oil Corp.

ise to resolve industry problems. "You
really put a lot of that drive for innovation
and development on the sidelines. We are
not looking for an easing of regulations,
we are looking for flexibility," Flynn says.
Annual Meeting
The NMOGA staff has capped attendance at its annual meeting to 1,200, and
Flynn says the association expects to
reach that number before the event starts.
He says registrations for the 2019 event,
to be held at Santa Fe's Eldorado Hotel,
are running ahead of last year's pace.
"There is no shortage of interest or enthusiasm among our members," he notes.
The general session will kick off on
Monday, Oct. 7, with the NMOGA Chairman's review. Other speakers during the
two-day event include Vicki Hollub, president and chief executive officer of Occidental Petroleum, Robert Phillips, chairman, president and CEO of Crestwood
Equity Partners, and Deanna Jones, vice
president of human resources, communications and administration for Marathon
Oil Corp. New Mexico Governor Michelle
Lujan Grisham is scheduled to address
the convention on Tuesday, Oct. 8.
The meeting's keynote luncheon speaker on Monday is Sarah Thomas, the first
female official for the National Football
League. The luncheon will be held at the
Santa Fe Convention Center.
Two golfing events precede the business
sessions, with Halliburton sponsoring a
golf tournament on Saturday, Oct. 5 at
Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe, and
Schlumberger offering a tournament on
Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Las Campanas
Country Club.
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American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2019

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