On Friday the 2015 Border Energy Forum (BEF) concluded following two days of riveting speeches and panel presentations from some of the most renowned leaders across all platforms of the energy industry. The BEF is a bilingual event focused on fostering collaboration and conversation of the most efficient and technologically advanced uses of energy resources on both sides of the border. Attendees engaged in high-level discussions on local, federal, and international policies affecting the energy sector. The event featured break out sessions on a variety of topics including cross-border energy cooperation, renewable innovations, LNG exportation, energy storage, and water policies. Speakers included Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, Vicente Fox, former President of Mexico, Amanda Martin-Brock, Chief Executive Officer of Water Standard, and Gary Doer, Canada's Ambassador to the United States.
In his keynote address Commissioner Bush noted that under his leadership the GLO took a historic step this year in holding Texas' first-ever online sale of oil and gas leases. Previously, anyone wishing to develop oil and gas reserves on Permanent School Fund land had to physically submit a bid, sealed in an envelope, to the GLO office in Austin. It was a process that had changed very little since the 1950s. By putting the process online, the GLO brought in more bidders and made more money -- about $1,500 per acre more than the last, traditional lease sale, and the Permanent School Fund made $20 million in about 20 minutes.
"Even in a soft oil and gas market, we made more money per acre by opening up the bidding process to more producers and investors," Commissioner Bush said. "The 21st Century economy is online. We sell on eBay, buy from Amazon and catch a ride through Uber. Putting these energy lease sales online just makes sense. Texans demand a more efficient, effective government and we are delivering it at the General Land Office. As you can see, we are busy at the GLO doing big things for the people of Texas. And we are just getting started."
Video and photos from former Mexican President Vicente Fox's keynote address to the 2015 Border Energy Forum attendees are available for download at the links below.
Video:
At the first keynote luncheon, Commissioner Bush sat down with Amanda Martin-Brock, Chief Executive Officer of Water Standard, to discuss current issues in the energy industry and the role of the Texas General Land Office in the market. You can view a complete video of this discussion at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqvPhqlesAg.
Video is also available for download of former Mexican President Vicente Fox's keynote address. Download the video at BEF_VicenteFox_VOSOT.mp4.
The is also video of San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer welcoming attendees and opening plenary moderated by Donald Paul, Executive Director of USC Energy Institute featuring Gary Doer, Canada's Ambassador to the United States, Jody Elliott, President of Oxy Oil & Gas, and Hector Marques Solis, Head of Energy Unit of the Secretaria de Economia: BEF101515am.mp4
Photos:
Photos of the event are available via DropBox at https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ax473gjydadkay8/AAAnIP9TbsTZre7aTtEO8zZ8a?oref=e&n=58348487.
Please use photo credit: Molly Quirk.
For information and a complete list of the speakers, please visit http://borderenergyforum.org.
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