American Oil and Gas Reporter - November 2021 - 36

NDPC Lauds Outstanding Examples
BISMARCK, N.D.-At the annual
chairman's luncheon and industry awards
presentation on Sept. 23 during the
North Dakota Petroleum Council's annual
convention in Watford City, N.D.,
the association honored Brian Grote
and Brian Rosendahl of Balon Corporation
with NDPC's Distinguished Industry
Leader Award. The group indicates
the award recognizes people in the oil
and gas industry who excel at educating
the public and work toward improving
public perception by supporting North
Dakota Petroleum Foundation programs
and other association activities.
Other honorees during the 2021 industry
achievement awards included Excellence
in Safety winner ONEOK, Excellence
in Community Engagement winner
Continental Resources and Excellence
in Environmental Stewardship winner
Crusoe Energy Systems.
NDPC also recognized Representative
Craig Headland, R-Montpelier, with its
Outstanding Public Service Award, through
which the association acknowledges elected
officials, legislators and other public
servants who go beyond the normal call
of duty to make North Dakota a better
place to live and work.
NDPC's annual meeting also provided
it an occasion to induct Larry Dokken
into its Hall of Fame, the group reports,
noting that all inductees have worked at
least 25 years in the oil and gas industry
with most of that time spent in the
Williston Basin. They have made significant
contributions to the functions
and activities of the associations representing
North Dakota's oil and gas industry,
and helped promote and develop
the industry through hard work on behalf
of the membership, commitment to the
industry's well-being, and participation
in association activities.
Volunteer Cooks
NDPC President Ron Ness remarked
that Grote and Rosendahl brought strong
culinary skills to their efforts at industry
outreach. NDPC indicates both Grote
and Rosendahl are active volunteers in
their communities, and with the generous
support of Balon, they enjoy grilling for
the various oil field golf tournaments,
cook outs, and community events in western
North Dakota and eastern Montana.
" Brian and Brian are the best cooks
in the Bakken. They not only make a
36 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER
great brisket, but they do it with a smile
and they are happy and eager to help at
any of our outreach and education events, "
Ness related. " Community outreach is a
pillar of the Petroleum Council and now
the Petroleum Foundation. Cookfests,
teacher seminars, and golf and fishing
events bring our industry and public together
to foster better relationships and
resolve challenges. Brian and Brian, with
the support of Balon, always volunteer
to cook for us when asked. It's simply
'yes, how can we help and where should
we be?'
" We cannot thank Brian and Brian
enough for their support and willingness
to volunteer and help over the past decade, "
he added. " They are great cooks, but
they are even better people and distinguished
leaders who grew up in our state
and love to support the oil industry and
be part of the effort to improve community
relationships and make our state a great
place to live and work. "
According to NDPC, Grote is a native
of Crosby, N.D. After graduating from
Divide County High School, he worked
for drilling contractors such as Bomac,
Bird Drilling and Kenting. He received
an Associate of Applied Science degree
from North Dakota State College of
Science and took a job with National
Oilwell in 1990. Grote joined Balon in
2003 where he currently works as the
regional manager.
NDPC says Rosendahl is a native of
Westhope, N.D., where he graduated high
school 1979, after which he started his
career in North Dakota oil fields working
for Cardinal Drilling. After the industry
slump of the early 1980s, Rosendahl
worked 20 years with Bridgeman Creameries
in Minot, N.D., before being drawn
back to the industry in 2008 as a salesman
for National Oilwell Varco. In 2013, he
began his career with Balon, where he is
currently a sales representative for the
MonDak region.
Innovative Companies
According to NDPC, ONEOK received
the Excellence in Safety Award for its
behavioral-based safety program, which
the association says has helped transform
ONEOK's safety and health culture by
providing employees a platform to present
at-risk conditions and issues to front-line
supervision and management for review
and subsequent action.
Continental Resources was given the
Excellence in Community Engagement
Award for its Funding the Future grant
program, NDPC reports. Since 2013, it
explains Continental has awarded grants
to fund science, technology, engineering,
mathematics and reading initiatives in
K-12 schools in North Dakota and other
states where the company operates. Last
year, $15,000 in Funding the Future grants
were awarded to six North Dakota schools,
including Williston High School, Dickinson
Public Schools, McKenzie County
Public Schools, Alexander Public Schools,
Divide County High School and Stanley
Community Schools.
Crusoe Energy Systems was recognized
with the Excellence in Environmental Stewardship
award for its Digital Flare Mitigation®
technology, NDPC reports. This technology
converts stranded natural gas into electricity
for energy-intensive computing at the well
site, which reduces flaring and emissions
while putting the gas to good use.
Public Service
According to NDPC, Representative
Headland chairs the House Finance and
Taxation Committee and also is a member
of the legislative redistricting committee.
He has served in the legislature since 2003.
" Over the past decade, Representative
Headland has been at the forefront of ensuring
the oil and gas industry has a fair
and competitive tax rate and supported a
key tax incentive that helped kickstart
the Bakken in 2009, " Ness said. " He was
instrumental in the major oil tax reform
legislation in 2015 and has supported
North Dakota's oil industry wholeheartedly
throughout his career. "
During the preceding legislative session,
three major bills relating to oil and gas
landed in the committee Headland chairs,
NDPC notes, adding that the committee
studied and fine-tuned all of them, en
route to their ultimate passage into law.
NDPC says the bills reform state mineral
royalty obligations, a remote gas capture
tax incentive and the tax treatment of
wells straddling the Fort Berthold Indian
Reservation and state/private land.
Through his leadership, the association
says, these bills will help create a business
climate for continued investment in the
Bakken, unlocking untold benefits to the
industry, The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara
Nation and North Dakota.
According to NDPC, Headland grew
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