Mitigating Natural Gas Flaring Symposium
Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA) Addendum Video
Todd Staples, President, Texas Oil & Gas Association (TXOGA)
TXOGA’s Todd Staples was invited to present and participate in the UH Energy Symposium. However, due to scheduling conflicts he was unable to participate in the discussion. Mr. Todd Staples provided the accompanying video as part of the symposium to share with the attendees and viewers and we are providing his comments. We hope that this provides an additional viewpoint to the critical issue of managing natural gas flaring and venting, especially in the Texas Permian basin.
RECORDED SYMPOSIUM SEGMENTS
Overview
The extraction of crude oil from underground reservoirs also brings to the surface dissolved or “associated” natural gas. The expansion of hydraulic fracturing and technological advancements have led to the production of gas reservoirs and a sharp decrease in the price of natural gas. This combined with the “assembly line” approach to the production of oil from shale reservoirs has resulted in the dramatic growth of oil production and a stranding of the produced “associated” gas. Often this valuable by-product of oil production is burnt in a flare. This flaring has resulted in significant environmental concerns and a public opposition to the issue of flaring. This symposium will discuss the challenges, opportunities and advancements in technology and policy that will foster a safer and environmentally friendly oil and gas production.
Moderator
Dr. Christine Ehlig-Economides
Professor, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Chair
University of Houston
Dr. Christine Ehlig-Economides is Professor and Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Chair at the University of Houston. Prior to her current position, Ehlig-Economides taught at Texas A&M University for ten years and worked twenty years for Schlumberger. While at A&M, she managed research in production and reservoir engineering in conventional and shale reservoirs and helped the petroleum engineering department to grow and evolve to a broader energy scope.
Ehlig-Economides was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2003 and was a member of the National Academy of Science Committee on America’s Energy Future and the NRC Board on Energy and Environmental Systems (BEES). She chaired The Academies of Medicine, Engineering, and Science in Texas (TAMEST) shale task force in 2017.
She currently is a Board member for Quantum Reservoir Impact (QRI). She became an Honorary Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers in 2018. Ehlig-Economides earned a Bachelor of Arts in Math-Science from Rice University, a Master of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Kansas, and a Ph.D. in petroleum engineering from Stanford University.
Speakers
Colin Leyden
Director, Regulatory & Legislative Affairs
Environmental Defense Fund
Colin oversees EDF’s work to improve environmental performance and oversight of oil and gas production activities in Texas, including efforts to reduce methane emissions and unnecessary flaring of gas resources. With nearly two decades of political and policy experience in Texas, he manages technical experts and policy advocates, and engages with state officials, industry partners and NGOs to unlock data-driven solutions and scale progress.
Jennifer Stewart
Vice President Strategic Growth
Avitas, a Baker Hughes Venture
Jennifer Stewart is Vice President Strategic Growth for Avitas, a Baker Hughes subsidiary providing drone and ground-based methane detection systems and emission management data analytics solutions.
Mrs. Stewart is an attorney licensed to practice in the state of Texas. She received her J.D from the University of Houston Law Center. She is a frequent presenter on issues regarding the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions, a holistic approach to methane management, the creation and sale of a responsibly produced natural gas, flaring in the Permian Basin, and related ESG matters.
She also is an independent member of the Board of Directors of Paragon Integrated Services and an Adjunct Faculty at the University of Houston Law Center. She has been recognized as one of Texas’ Most Powerful Women in Oil and Gas by the National Diversity Council, a Top Woman in Energy by the Houston Business Journal and received the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce Trailblazer Award.
Dr. Susan Stuver, Ph.D., BCES
R&D Manager
GTI
Dr. Stuver, leads GTI's Environmental, Risk and Integrity Management programs – directing the planning, acquisition, development and technical execution of environmental programs throughout the US and oversees. Currently, Dr. Stuver leads research focused on the detection, characterization and reduction of methane emissions from the natural gas industry and actively works with utilities and pipeline companies on collaborative research to enable the introduction of renewable natural gas with a focus on ensuring the gas quality does not impact pipeline infrastructure or end use applications.
Dr. Stuver represents GTI for the LCRI Safety and Environmental Aspects Subcommittee, the Collaboratory to Advance Methane Science, the Risk, Integrity and Environment Committee of the Operations Technology Development Collaboration, and represents GTI as a signatory member of Project Astra.
Dr. Stuver is a Board Certified Environmental Scientist, holds a PhD in Environmental Engineering and Science from the University of Texas at San Antonio, as well as an MS in Environmental Science and Spatial Analysis and a BS in Biology. Dr. Stuver is a veteran of the USARMY.