Sitton is Texas Railroad Commission’s first engineer in 50 years
Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton
Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton met with 100 senior level oil and gas executives in Houston this week for An Energy Evening.
Sitton was elected to the Railroad Commission in 2014 and is the first engineer to serve on the Commission in 50 years. Texas shale plays have led to a dramatic increase in Texas production, the RRC points out on its web site, “forcing OPEC to cut production and disrupting the global supply and demand balance.”
Sitton discussed these events and the drilling and completion technologies that has put Texas into a swing producer position in a talk called “Innovative Disruption in Energy,” and its impact on the market, investments and infrastructure, at the Houston presentation.
“After 25 years of viewing oil and gas as just another commodity, we need to begin thinking differently about the role energy plays in the world,” Sitton said. “Texas energy production, and the innovation of our drillers, has the ability to disrupt the global market, secure our economic growth and national security, and place the U.S. in a position of energy dominance.”
Gov. Abbot signs House Bill 1818, which re-ups RRC for another 12 years
On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 1818, part of a state initiative to review and reauthorize agencies every 12 years.
The RRC has gone through a regular review process since 2010, which included recommendations to change its name to something more indicative of its energy-focus. However tradition won the day and the Texas RRC will keep its name, after several attempts to reform the agency failed to get through the legislature. The law reauthorizes the commission for another 12 years.
