RR Commissioner talks about Eagle Ford Shale

Texas Railroad Commissioner David Porter said the Eagle Ford Shale is rapidly becoming one of the largest domestic crude oil and natural gas discoveries in more than 40 years. However, this find could come to a halt if the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gets the last word.
Speaking at a luncheon sponsored by the Corpus Christi Chamber of Commerce, Commissioner Porter said we need to protect the welfare of Texas from the current federal administration.
“We will not allow the EPA to hinder the economic impact we are having from the Eagle Ford Shale,” Porter said. “Our biggest threat is the federal government.”
The commissioner stated the government’s threat to the production goes as far as potentially endangering two lizards found in the shale area.
“We assure you the Railroad Commission will do everything to keep this production safe,” he said. “Because of this shale, we now have 100-200 years of reserve, a huge huge difference and a great impact for energy in our country.”
The Eagle Ford Shale region stretches about 50 miles wide and 400 miles long east of the Mexican border, covering 24 Texas counties. The oil shale is a boom for the local economy in South and South-East Texas communities.
“Texas has created more jobs because of this. This is making a huge impact on the work force in small communities,” Porter said.
It is estimated the Eagle Ford Shale project has created 13,000 fulltime jobs and by 2020 should see a growth of 70,000 fulltime positions. In 2009, 94 drilling permits were filled, since June 2011, 1,200 drilling permits were filled.
“This is a big economic growth from San Antonio to the South Texas border,” Porter said. “The Eagle Ford Shale has the potential to be the single most economic development in Texas history.”
The Oil Shale refers to sedimentary rock that contains bituminous materials that release petroleum-like liquid when heated to high temperature. This heating process is called retorting. Because the cost of oil derived from oil shale has been substantially higher than the cost of conventional crude oil, oil shale resources have never been commercially attractive in South Texas until 2008. Today, high oil prices and improvements in oil shale extraction and processing technology have made drilling economically feasible and even profitable.
“We are working with the Texas Workforce, Coastal Bend College and Veterans groups to get jobs filled,” Porter said. “If we get this right and keep it in Texas, this could be not only the best thing for Texas but for the entire country. We just need to ensure Texas controls its own regulatory and keep it steady and predictable.”
The regional boom continues to spillover the Coastal Bend. According to the Institute for Economic Development, Eagle Ford oil production generated an indirect impact of $16 million in business revenues and 86 jobs in Jim Wells County in 2010.