Oil & Gas

DNR Oil and Gas Seminar Draws Many, Offers Much

Almost 400 oil and gas representatives from inside and outside the state of Louisiana will be gathering in New Orleans Monday and Tuesday at the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources’ “Oil and Gas In Louisiana: From SONRIS to Sunset” seminar.

The seminar will be held at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans at 555 Canal St. in the French Quarter.

“We believe this is an excellent pro-business method for us to help oil and gas companies understand how to work with the state in responsibly making use of Louisiana’s natural resources in a way that protects the state interests and helps the state’s economy,” said state Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle. “We work hard to ensure companies can quickly and easily do the work they need to do in the state while also ensuring that they work within the rules that protect the people and resources.”

The 2008 seminar follows on the success of two previous similar seminars hosted by the Department to educate energy industry professionals on state policies and procedures affecting their businesses.

The “SONRIS” in the title refers to the Department’s online database and records systems – the Strategic Online Natural Resources Information System – a key tool in both streamlining permitting timelines and making the process transparent to the public.

Making the best use of that system will be a topic of the seminar, as will obtaining drilling coastal use and injection well permits; regulatory and legislative updates; mineral leasing procedures; and royalty and severance tax reporting and payments.

“This seminar offers a great overview of how oil and gas business is done in Louisiana, both for companies already working here and for those considering coming to the state,” said state Mineral Board Secretary Marjorie McKeithen, whose office is organizing the event.

McKeithen noted that of particular current interest may be a class on current Office of Conservation rules for exploration in the Haynesville Shale formation in northwest Louisiana – site of a great deal of recent interest and activity by natural gas exploration companies – set for late in the Tuesday session.

Don Briggs, president of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, will be the luncheon speaker on Monday, discussing the Haynesville Shale.

Chris John, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, will be the luncheon speaker on Tuesday.