2015 Ports-to-Plains Economic Summit expecting 200-plus attendees
A great deal of oil, capital, and equipment flows through the Alberta-Texas-Mexico ports-to-plains corridor. Which is why the Ports-to-Plains Economic Summit in Lubbock later this month is an important event for the Texas and Alberta oil and gas industries.
Michael Reeves is the executive director of the Ports-to-Plains Alliance based in Lubbock. He says the gathering of several hundred business and industry leaders, municipal managers, and economic development professionals on March 31 and April 1 will arm attendees with information and messages they can pass on to their government representatives.
“When our members of Congress are in town, our members are able to ask good questions about important issues,” said Reeves in an interview.
Sending the right message to Washington is especially critical because the Administration of President Barack Obama is not a friend of the oil and gas industry, says Randy Kerr, executive director of the Canadian Natural Resources Alliance and a speaker at the Ports-to-Plains Economic Summit.
Kerr points to the Keystone XL pipeline as an example of how President Obama twists issues to fit his political agenda.
“It is clear that the current federal Administration does not understand key issues affecting the Canadian and American oil and gas industry,” he said in an interview. “But I think there are many who do and that is why the support for Keystone XL has remained so high through this ridiculous debate.”
Kerr says the Ports-to-Plains Alliance has been a great group for allowing much needed conversations to take place at a different level then they typically do.
“Ports-to-Plains members tell their members of Congress – who listen to them,” he said.
The 2015 Ports-to-Plains Alliance Energy Summit takes place March 31 – April 1 at the Overton Hotel in Lubbock. Top energy experts from across North America will be presenting on topics such as the impact of falling oil prices on the West Texas economy, opportunities in Mexico as government reforms the oil and gas sector, Alberta energy issues, and challenges associated with local fracking bans.
“A lot of our members are local elected officials and here in Texas a lot of people are trying to impose local fracking banks,” said Reeves. “We’ve got a lawyer, Tom Mullikin, who will talk about what those officials can do if someone in their community proposes a fracking ban.”
Interested in attending the 2015 Ports-to-Plains Alliance Energy Summit? Click here to register.