American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2020 - 88

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ConventionSection: Permian Basin Petroleum Association
keep bringing it back up, so we have to
fight it again," he remarks. "If either of
those species are listed, it is going to eliminate development in a number of acres in
West Texas and Southeast New Mexico."
The direction many issues important
to PBPA will take looks likely to hinge
on November's elections, from the Texas
Railroad Commissioner's race, to the
campaign for U.S. President, McGraw
considers. While emphasizing that PBPA
does not endorse candidates, he expresses
appreciation for President Trump's visit
to Midland this summer, where the president touted the United States' return to
the status of an energy-producing power.
"That gives us strength and leverage at
negotiating tables around the world,"
McGraw affirms.
Meanwhile, he contrasts, Democratic
nominee Joe Biden has expressed plans
to ban hydraulic fracturing on federal
lands. "That would not affect much of
Texas, but that would hit a lot of New
Mexico," McGraw observes.
Annual Convention
McGraw points out his chairmanship
is scheduled to conclude at PBPA's annual
meeting. As he moves into the past-chairman's seat, Scott Kidwell with Concho
Resources will take over. "Scott is a
smart, capable oil and gas professional,"
McGraw describes. "Currently he is chairman of the New Mexico Oil & Gas Association, so he already understands a lot
about this role."
Reflecting on his experience at the
helm, McGraw acknowledges that a career
transition from the publicly traded Legacy
Reserves to the much smaller Trinidad
allowed him more flexibility. "Your schedule is not your own at a public company,"
he says. "It has been much more flexible

since I formed Trinidad Energy, which
has allowed me to participate more."
As for how that participation has
gone, McGraw chuckles that he has enjoyed it more than he expected. "The
PBPA staff has been terrific," he commends. "They are really pleasant people
who are striving to do the right thing in
every situation. They always are very
open about issues and challenges, simply
lay out the facts, and let people make
their own judgments."
He also praises PBPA's Board of Directors, which includes a broad cross
section of various sized companies, describing it as one of the association's
strengths. Another strength he mentions
is the association's financial condition.
"We are in solid financial shape coming
off a good run for the industry," he describes. "It will get tougher during the
next few years, but we have enough in
reserve to continue representing and serving our members well."
The 58th PBPA Annual Meeting will
be virtual, and open on Wednesday, Sept.
30 with a Board of Directors meeting, as
well as a keynote from Robert Bryce, a
journalist, author and documentarian who
ponders what the world needs to do to
meet growing electricity demand.
"PBPA's annual meeting is known
throughout the industry for providing
members with the greatest, most substantive lineup around, and this year is
no different," Shepperd affirms. "Texas
Governor Greg Abbott and New Mexico
Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham will
be kicking off our event and we are proud
to hear from these two important leaders.
Our efforts in both the Lone Star State
and the Land of Enchantment are vital to
the industry's success and we are proud
to host both Governors."

He notes that the schedule for Thursday,
Oct. 1 includes the Lone Star Legislative
Panel with House Speaker Tom Craddick,
R-Midland, and Representative Senfornia
Thompson, D-Houston, chair of the
House's Public Health Committee. Other
highlights include a regulatory updates
panel, the membership business meeting
and a keynote address from Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co Chairman Bobby Tudor.
McGraw expresses acute disappointment that PBPA members must experience
the 2020 convention through technology
instead of in person, but notes that this
situation, too, is temporary. "People are
anxious to get back out and make human
contact and it is not the same on a screen,"
he assesses. "It's a matter of avoiding a
bad outbreak right now so things can
work better in the future."
"This event marks our 58th Annual
Meeting, and in only a few months PBPA
will celebrate our 60th year of advocating
for the safe and responsible development
of natural resources in the Permian Basin,"
Shepperd reports. "From humble beginnings to challenging years and leading
the world in oil production, our members
have seen it all."
❒

Coming In October
The presidential elections are around
the corner. The American Oil & Gas
Reporter invited the Trump and
Biden presidential campaigns to participate in a special Election 2020
Q&A on issues of importance to U.S.
oil and gas producers. The October
issue presents analyses of what both
candidates' policies and platforms
would mean for domestic energy.

Bulldog Specialties is proud to be partnered with these fine companies
to better serve the oil and gas industry in the Permian Basin through
oil field suppliers.

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American Oil and Gas Reporter - September 2020

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