Qualifications
What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position?
I have personally been in the industry for decades. I also have extensive business expertise and am a rancher and mineral owner. I understand each perspective involved in Commission business.
Environmental and Public Safety
What would you do about uncapped abandoned oil, gas, and injection wells across the state?
There are enforcement mechanisms that push operators to handle plugging of wells. Despite this, the Commission ends up having to plug many of them. I believe there are several inefficiencies at the Commission which, if addressed, will allow it to plug many more wells with the money appropriated for this purpose, and thus dramatically cut down on abandoned wells. This is just the beginning.
Data Centers
How should Texas prepare its energy infrastructure for increasing demand from data centers and population growth?
I am interested in finding any solution we can find that will seriously and adequately address this issue. I will hear out any effective solution and work to make it happen. As far as energy generation is concerned, particularly in places like the Permian Basin, I believe increasing natural gas electricity generation is one solution that will help address this issue.
Monitoring and Enforcement
How would you ensure that the Commission is able to provide adequate monitoring and enforcement to the oil, gas, and mining sectors?
Technology has allowed businesses to do things we couldn’t have dreamt of a few decades ago. It’s no secret that the Commission is painfully behind on adoption of technology. I intend to bring the Commission into the 21st century, which will allow it not only to monitor and enforce regulations far better than before, but will make it much more transparent and responsive to citizens as well.
New Energy
What energy technologies should be promoted to support a reliable way to meet energy demands?
Energy demand is skyrocketing. The Commission should work alongside industry, which spends massive resources developing new technologies to solve issues like this. We should ensure that they are able to develop and effectively deploy whatever innovations will allow Texas to meet our increasing demand. That’s what I will do if elected.
