Dr. Amadou Lamine Ba, Senegal's ambassador to the United States received a warm welcome today from the state Department of Natural Resources while on a series of meetings with local and state government officials.

The pro-Western government of Senegal, West Africa has expectations of establishing a hub for the oil and gas industry at its Port of Dakar, linking African countries with Europe. Ambassador Ba was presented a number of documents related to oil and gas laws and procedures for the state of Louisiana. “He will be taking back a package of information he feels useful for review by the Senegal President Abdoulaye Wade,” said DNR Commissioner of Conservation James H. Welsh.

Commissioner Welsh and members of his staff, Brent Campbell, head of the Pipeline division and Joe Ball, head of the Injection and Mining division presented some statistical data and background materials related to the function of their offices while meeting with Dr. Ba this morning. Additionally, Rick Heck of the Office of Mineral Resources, who heads the Petroleum Land division, exchanged information with the Ambassador on the topic of mineral leasing and mineral income operations for the state.

Louisiana including its federal offshore activity, is ranked as the top oil producing state and is second-ranked in gas production among all of the producing states in the U.S. The oil and gas industry in the state provides $92 billion annually while providing jobs as well as supplying and delivering energy resources to millions of Americans.

Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation Jim Welsh explains oil and gas regulatory operations in the state to visting officials from the U.S. Embassy of the Republic of Senegal in Washington D.C. Shown here is Commissioner Welsh with Dr. Ba looking on at a map of the natural gas pipelines that transverse the state.

Acting as facilitator for the meeting, Mr. Len Robinson of Robinson International of Baton Rouge, Minister for Economic and Cultural Mamadou Monutaga Gueye of the U.S. Embassy of the Republic of Senegal, U.S. Ambassador of Senegal Dr. Amadou Lamine Ba, Louisiana Commissioner of Conservation James H. Welsh, Petroleum Lands Director Rick Heck of the DNR Office of Mineral Resources, Pipeline Director Brent Campbell, DNR Office of Conservation, and Injection and Mining Director Joe Ball, DNR Office of Conservation.

Commissioner of Conservation Jim Welsh presents a parting gift to U.S. Ambassador Ba of Senegal, West Africa.