American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2019 - 113

ConventionCoverage: Louisiana Oil & Gas Association
deeper conversations the president understands the need for a value of oil ranging from $50 to $70, Higgins assured.
But while Trump supports the industry,
a growing number of left-leaning members
of Congress are growing increasingly antagonistic, offered Louisiana's 6th District
congressman, Garrett Graves.
He cited the Green New Deal, which
calls for eliminating fossil fuels and universal Medicare as examples of outlandish
proposals, pointing to a $32 trillion price
tag for Medicare for all and a $93 trillion
cost for the Green New Deal in total.
"The Green New Deal is entirely illogical
and irrational," Graves declared.
Quipped Higgins, "Somewhere, someone believes there is a train that crosses
the Atlantic, that airplanes should be
grounded, and that world can run on rainbow dust."
Social Media Campaign
LOGA is getting out the word aggressively to members on the need to

Louisiana state Senator Sharon
W. Hewitt, R-Slidell, stumps for
the GOP challengers to incumbent
John Bel Edwards in the state's
gubernatorial race during LOGA's
annual meeting in March. Hewitt
is a member of the Republican
Legislative Campaign Executive
Committee.

work for change in the state, Briggs detailed. The association founded an organization called the Spirit of Louisiana
to educate the public about the past and
future economic impact of the oil and
gas industry, and about economic and
legal challenges the industry faces in a
litigation-friendly state, he said.
LOGA members support their church-

Sharing insights from Washington at LOGA's annual meeting in March in Lake Charles,
La., are Republican Congressmen (from left) Mike Johnson from Louisiana's 4th District;
Clay Higgins, Louisiana 3rd District; and Garrett Graves, Louisiana 6th District.

es, local communities, youth sports leagues
and many other organizations, but seldom
tell others about their support, so the
time has come for members to be more
upfront on social media about their contributions, Briggs said.
He urged members to engage in social
media to counter fallacious arguments
about the industry. "We cannot ignore the
court of public opinion," Briggs advised.
"While we are working, others are posting.
We have to mobilize people who understand
the importance of this industry."
He introduced Kati Hyer as LOGA's
new social media and public relations
manager. More than half of Americans
over age 50 are on Facebook, Hyer said,
which provides a major target for pro-industry messaging.
Hyer reviewed the various social media
platforms and the importance of members
posting messages, responding to misstatements and targeting messages for
specific groups. LOGA will plan social
media seminars for members or come to
companies for more individualized training, she said.
"We are going to be everywhere we
think it is necessary to be, and will help
you with YouTube and other social media,"
she promised. "We can do a lot on social
media, but we can't do it alone."
❒

Technology Boosts Louisiana Industry
LAKE CHARLES, LA.-Technological advances are enabling members
of the Louisiana Oil & Gas Association
and other industry players to drill wells
faster, complete them more efficiently,
and produce the oil and gas needed to
meet growing demand in the years
ahead, a variety of speakers expressed
during LOGA's annual meeting, March

20-22 at the Golden Nugget Resort in
Lake Charles.
For the past 60-70 years, the United
States has enjoyed its high standard of
living, in part, because of abundant energy,
but over the next 20-25 years, the world's
population will grow from 7.5 billion to
9.0 billion, heightening the need for additional fossil fuels, said Steve Conner,

general manager of Gulf of Mexico operations at Chevron USA.
Speaking to LOGA members at breakfast on March 21, Conner warned that
without adequate investment over the
next 20 years, the world could see a daily
oil production deficit eight times what
the United States produces today.
"Only 25 percent of a barrel of oil is
MAY 2019 113

American Oil and Gas Reporter - May 2019

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