President's speech falls short to NM Oil & Gas official

CARLSBAD - A representative from the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association said President Barack Obama's speech on his commitment to expand oil and gas production lacked details that the industry had hope to hear.

"It was like any other administrative speech," said Wally Drangmeister, New Mexico Oil and Gas Association communications director. "We, in the industry, always like to hear the details. The rules and regulations we operate under may seem like small things, but they make a difference. It is not surprising those sort of details didn't come out. A talk like this tends not to be detailed oriented. While we were hopeful for more detail, it was not expected."

Obama traveled to Maljamar Wednesday to promote his administration's strategy for bringing gas prices down through a combination of oil and gas development and renewable energies.

Standing in front of an idle oil rig with working pump jacks in the background on federal lands near Maljamar, Obama said he was committed to continuing to open more acres to development as long "as we drill safely and responsibility."

But he emphasized there is "no connection between the amount of oil and gas we drill in this country and the price of gas."

Obama said the price of gas is rising because of global demands, and the only way to bring those prices down is to develop "every available source of American-made energy."

"We are drilling all over the place," Obama said, addressing dignitaries and representatives from the oil and gas industry.

Drangmeister said one thing Obama got right was that in southeast New Mexico there is plenty of drilling going on. However, he said there needs to be reasonable regulations for the existing well fields to continue and allow additional drilling to keep production at high levels.

Obama also said that "as long as we drill safely, we will continue to support drilling."

"If you hear anybody on TV saying that somehow we are against drilling for oil, then you'll know that they either don't know what they are talking about or they are not telling you the truth,'' he said.

However, he stressed that his administration will continue to explore other sources of energy.

Drangmeister said some industry leaders here would have liked hear that the federal government would provide more funding to the Bureau of Land Management Carlsbad Field Office to speed up the drilling permit process, especially after Obama noted that about 70 oil drilling leases were on federal land in the area where he delivered his remarks on his energy policies.

"There certainly has been discussion through the BLM about this, and the industry is in contact with the BLM on this issue," Drangmeister said.

Prior to Obama's appearance in Maljamar, the Current-Argus called several oil and gas producers to ask for comment following the Obama's speech.

They all declined.

"They probably felt at risk if they are critical of the administration," Drangmeister explained. "We represent the industry. We try to do everything we can do that is broadly felt by our members. We do not speak for individual companies, but we try to speak cooperatively for our members."

Source: http://www.demingheadlight.com/deming-news/ci_20229644/presidents-speech-falls-short-nm-oil-gas-official?source=rss_viewed

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