New Eagle Ford Shale Task Force Formed By Texas RRC

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In a press release dated July, 27, 2011, the Texas Railroad Commission announced that they have  formed a new Eagle Ford shale task force to analyze issues in South Texas related to the development of the Eagle Ford shale play. The task force is composed of community leaders and elected officials, oil and gas industry representatives, clean energy representatives, landowners, environmental group representatives and others.  Some groups have long felt that the Texas RRC has allowed oil and gas companies to “do as they please” in the Eagle Ford shale, and perhaps one of the purposes of this new task force is to dispel those  myths, in addition to seeking new points of view on key issues such as water use.

Texas Railroad Commissioner David Porter stated that “The Eagle Ford Shale has the potential to be the single most significant economic development in our state’s history,” “We must develop this shale responsibly, finding the proper way to develop these resources while ensuring environmental protection.”

(Note: Since 2009 the Eaglefordshaleblog.com has been trying spread the word about the importance of Eagle Ford shale discovery for the Texas economy, now we see it echoed by the director of the Texas Railroad Commission. If the Texas Railroad Commission thinks it’s the biggest oil and gas boom to ever come to Texas, you can bet your boots that it most certainly is!)

The members of the new Texas Railroad Commission Eagle Ford shale task force include the following persons.

  • Leodoro Martinez – Middle Rio Grande Development Council, Executive Director, Cotulla
  • Kirk Spilman – Marathon Oil, Asset Manager Eagle Ford, San Antonio
  • The Honorable Jaime Canales – Webb County Commissioner, Precinct 4, Laredo
  • Teresa Carrillo – Sierra Club, Executive Committee Member – Lone Star Chapter, Treasurer – Coastal Bend Sierra, Corpus Christi
  • James E. Craddock – Rosetta Resources, Senior Vice President, Drilling and Production Operations, Houston
  • Erasmo Yarrito – Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, Rio Grande Valley Water Master, Harlingen
  • Steve Ellis – EOG Resources, Senior Division Counsel, Corpus Christi
  • The Honorable Daryl Fowler – Dewitt County Judge, Cuero
  • Brian Frederick – DCP Midstream, Southern Unit Vice President for the East Division, Houston
  • Anna Galo – Vice President, ANB Cattle Company, Laredo
  • The Honorable Jim Huff – Live Oak County Judge, George West
  • Stephen Ingram – Halliburton, Technology Manager, Houston Business Development & Onshore South Texas, Houston
  • Mike Mahoney – Evergreen Underground Water Conservation District, General Manager, Pleasanton
  • James Max Moudy – MWH Global, Inc., Senior Client Service Manager, Houston
  • Trey Scott – Trinity Minerals Management, LTD, Founder, San Antonio
  • Mary Beth Simmons – Shell Exploration and Production Company, Senior Staff Reservoir Engineer, Houston
  • Terry Retzloff – TR Measurement Witnessing, LLC, Founder, Campbellton
  • Greg Brazaitis – Energy Transfer, Vice President, Government Affairs, Houston
  • Glynis Strause – Coastal Bend College, Dean of Institutional Advancement, Beeville
  • Susan Spratlen – Pioneer Natural Resources, Senior Director, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs, Dallas
  • Chris Winland – Good Company Associates; University of Texas at San Antonio, Interim Director, San Antonio Clean Energy Incubator, Austin/San Antonio
  • Paul Woodard – J&M Premier Services, President, Palestine

Director Porter plans for the task force to hold monthly meetings to discuss Eagle Ford shale development issues. The first meeting occurred in San Antonio on July, 27, 2011.

The Texas Railroad Commission is the agency in the state in charge of regulating oil and gas activities. The Eagle Ford shale, one of the largest discoveries of oil and natural gas in over 40 years, will continue to be a big part of the agency’s work load in the coming years. The RRC is still understaffed, at 625 employees, 79 fewer than it had in 2009 and this has lead to some processing delays. The agency has requested additional funding, but in light of the state’s budget crisis it is unlikely to get it.  The agency could be overwhelmed in the coming years if it is not able to gear up for the Eagle Ford shale.  Bentek Energy, LLC recently reported that oil production from the Eagle Ford shale has doubled over the amount reported  last year. Bentek also predicts that oil output from the Eagle Ford will soar to five times the present amount over the next five years, with natural gas liquids and natural gas production increasing by 150%.