The Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will hold a two-day Oil and Gas Seminar on Sept. 13-14 in New Orleans at the Windsor Court Hotel.  The seminar will be attended by employees of oil and gas companies from Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.

DNR personnel from each of its major offices along with state departments of Environmental Quality, Wildlife and Fisheries, Revenue and Economic Development will be on hand to teach workshops and provide instruction on a number of topics.

Some of the topics to be discussed include:

• The benefits of doing business in Louisiana
• Louisiana’s state-of-the-art SONRIS and GIS data system
• State mineral leasing
• The life cycle of a well in Louisiana
• Royalty and severance tax reporting and payments
• Air, drilling, coastal use, and injection well permits
• Louisiana mineral law
• Updates on regulatory and legislative changes

The subject matter will be taught by the professionals who administer the various programs. New procedures for online nominating of tracts for state leasing and other website services from DNR will be featured on the opening day of the conference.

Participants (attorneys, petroleum landmen, accountants, engineers) will have the opportunity to receive continuing education credits in their respective field of work.

“This is another facet of our ongoing effort to create a better business climate in Louisiana. We believe in building relationships with the people and companies we serve, and this is a good way to do just that,” according to DNR Secretary Scott Angelle.

“There are a number of new programs within Conservation, like the severance tax relief, waste disposal options, and legacy fields remediation that we want to present to industry to keep them knowledgeable of our operations here. The seminar provides for a classroom-type setting, where we all can have input,” Commissioner of Conservation Jim Welsh said.

“We believe there is real value in helping to educate oil and gas companies on doing business here and giving them a face to associate with a name for the Louisiana offices they deal with.  The better customer service we provide to our customers, the more comfortable they will feel doing business in Louisiana and keep coming back,” said Mineral Board Secretary Marjorie McKeithen. 

According to McKeithen, the conference reached capacity within days of its announcement several months ago, so another conference has been scheduled forDecember 3 and 4 to accommodate the overflow.

For registration information for the December conference, inquires can be made toomr@la.gov.

Related Document:

• Oil & Gas Seminar Agenda