AUSTIN — Today, Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush participated in a roundtable with members from the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. The discussions focused on a variety of topics including the current state of the Oil and Gas industries in Texas, recovery after COVID, and potential implications from recent federal orders targeting the industries.

Commissioner Bush tours Odessa Pumps, a family owned business, to discuss challenges and find solutions for the oil and gas workers and their families that rely on this industry.

The Energy Workforce & Technology Council is the national trade association for the energy technology and services sector, representing more than 600,000 jobs in the technology-driven energy value chain. 

“Oil and Gas is the lifeblood of the Texas economy and changes to these industries can have wide-reaching impacts on every community across the state,” Commissioner Bush said. “As demand for energy increases and technology advances, it is important to discuss with these industry leaders on how we can proactively position Texas to secure a robust energy future for generations to come. I'm honored to be a part of such an important discussion today and look forward to working with these leaders in the future.”

"Companies of the energy services sector are uniquely poised to provide real solutions to our global energy challenges," said Council CEO Leslie Beyer. “The oil and gas industry is comprised of innovative men and women with the ability to develop at scale the technological solutions vital to providing the clean, affordable and abundant energy the world needs.”

Participants of the roundtable included:

• Toby Eoff, President – Process Solutions, DistributionNOW
• Leslie Beyer, CEO, Energy Workforce & Technology Council
• Jeff Wilhelm, Sr. Vice President – Water Management/Lift, GR Energy Services
• Brad Smith, Vice President – Power & Rental Sales, Gravity
• D. Kirk Edwards, President & CEO, Latigo Petroleum, LLC

Commissioner Bush leads the Texas Defense Task Force, which was launched in February 2021 and aims to preserve Texas energy independence. The mission of the Task Force is to identify federal overreach and fend off threats to the Texas oil and gas economy, following Governor Abbott's executive order for state agencies to prepare to protect Texas' energy industry in the years ahead.

Commissioner Bush partakes in a roundtable discussion with leaders in the oil and gas industry.