American Oil and Gas Reporter - November 2022 - 80

Tennessee Groups Gather Together
TOGA/TMA Convention
Editor's note: The following article was
provided by the Tennessee Oil & Gas
Association.
GATLINBURG, TN.-The Tennessee
Oil & Gas Association and the Tennessee
Mining Association held their first combined
convention Oct. 2-4 in Gatlinburg.
" As fossil fuel producers, we seem to be
public enemy number one to some, so
let's see how we can work together, " suggested
Chuck Laine, who serves as president
of both TOGA and TMA.
The combined event was a hit with
most attendees, according to TOGA Chairman
Gary Bible and incoming TMA
Chairman Tim Slone.
The convention opened with an event
to help the groups' respective members
get acquainted with each other during a
party at Ole Red restaurant on the evening
of Sunday, Oct. 2. The morning of Monday,
Oct. 3 opened with a joint session
and keynote luncheon, followed by industry-specific
break-out sessions.
" The mining industry and the oil and
gas industry are so important in the great
state of Tennessee and across the country, "
affirmed keynote speaker Congressman
Tim Burchett, R-Tn. " You are creating
the base materials that are used to create
essential products Americans use every
day. It's because of you that Americans
can commute to their jobs, heat their
homes and do so many other things.
" Our lives are better because of what
you do, " he added. " That's why I want to
support you and enable you to do your
jobs to the best of your abilities. I am
fighting in Congress to get rid of unnecessary
and burdensome regulations on
your industries. I am proud to support
your important work. "
Industry Trends
During the Oct. 3 morning general
session, Bryon Epperson, director of the
newly-created Division of Mineral &
Georgical Resources and Roxanne Reiley,
DMGR deputy director, provided updates
on and explanations regarding the division.
They also discussed state regulators'
progress toward Tennessee's effort to
gain primacy over coal mining.
" We are not there yet, but we are
making progress, " Reiley assured.
Attendees also heard about climate
change and potential federal regulations
by Michael Stagg from Waller Law Firm.
Then, Barry Thacker told the group
about progress toward the recovery of
the American Chestnut tree. The American
Chestnut dominated eastern forests
but was wiped out by blight from Asia,
he reported. A disease-resistant American
Chestnut is slowly recovering, thanks
to efforts such as TMA's reclaimation
program, Thacker indicated.
TMA members have worked with
youth groups to plant American Chestnut
seedlings on land they are reclaiming
after mining operations are complete,
and Bible told attendees that TOGA members
also would consider planting American
Chestnuts on reclaimed land.
During the luncheon, TOGA Past
Chairman Will Goodwin awarded a
posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award
to Amelia Anne Byrd. Byrd served as
TOGA secretary-treasurer for nearly 50
years before retiring in August and passing
away before she was informed of the
honor. The award was accepted by her
sisters Deane Phillips and Carol Burgess,
and Rusty Liming, son of Byrd's companion,
Bill Ray.
Following the luncheon, DMGR's ReiTOGA
Past President
Will Goodwin
presents Amelia
Anne Byrd's Lifetime
Achievement
Award posthumously
to her sisters,
Deane Phillips and
Carol Bergen, and
Rusty Liming. TOGA
held its 2022 annual
meeting in conjunction
with the Tennessee
Mining Association,
Oct. 2-4
in Gatlinburg, Tn.
80 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER
ley updated TOGA members on oil and
gas activity, changes to the well plugging
program and compliance issues. She said
211,465 barrels of oil were produced
from 812 Tennessee wells in 2020. Morgan
County had the most producing wells at
223, which combined to yield 54,074
barrels of oil in 2020. Overton County
was second in number of producing wells,
at 106, but produced the most oil at
58,549 barrels for the year. Eight additional
counties-Anderson, Campbell, Claiborne,
Clay, Fentress, Hancock, Pickett and
Scott-had producing wells in 2020.
According to Reiley, the state produced
4.40 million cubic feet of gas in 2020
from some 933 wells. Anderson county
had the most wells, with 305 gas wells
producing 1.38 MMcf of gas in 2020.
Scout county produced the most gas with
its 198 wells producing 1.54 MMcf of
gas in 2020. Campbell, Claiborne, Fentress,
Morgan and Roane counties also
reported 2020 gas production.
Reiley also conveyed news of particular
interest to oil and gas producers when
she said Tennessee was updating its oil
and gas map with in-house personnel instead
of the state's information technology
department. As a result, she noted, the
map now included updated basic information
as well as new permits, changes
of operator and latitude/longitude updates,
as well as amended well permits. She
also said there were plans for more improvements
to the online map and electronic
inspection forms.
Reiley's remarks also explained that because
of formal procurement, large plugging
contracts of $50,000 or more required operators
to obtain a bond and required considerable
time to prepare and usher through
the process. Therefore, she indicated DMGR
had initiated an informal procurement program
for plugging agreements of $10,001$49,999,
as well as a small procurement
program for jobs costing $10,000 or less.
During 2021, the new division managed
to plug 22 wells at a cost of $69,996,
American Oil and Gas Reporter - November 2022

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