2004 Resolutions
Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission

IOGCC Resolutions

2004 Annual Meeting, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
October 17-19, 2004


Resolution 04.101 Urging the Adoption of a National Energy Policy
Resolution 04.102 Continuing Policy on the Issue of Carbon Capture and Storage in Underground Geological Formations
Resolution 04.103 Identifying and Promoting Energy Manpower Needs

RESOLUTION 04.101


Urging the Adoption of a National Energy Policy

WHEREAS, adequate, cost effective and diverse energy sources are vital to this nation’s continued economic growth; and 

WHEREAS, domestically produced natural gas is a critical part of our energy needs; and 

WHEREAS, according to the Energy Information Administration’s latest estimate, the demand for clean-burning natural gas is projected to increase 60% by the year 2020; and 

WHEREAS, volatile energy prices, as well as our nations dependence on more than 60% of our oil from foreign sources have a detrimental effect on the U.S. economy; 

WHEREAS, while at the same time research funding has been reduced in both the private and governmental sectors, new technologies used in oil and gas exploration and production have resulted in additional supply and reserves; and

WHEREAS, presently inaccessible federal lands in the United States are estimated to contain over 65% of the undiscovered onshore oil reserves and 40% of the undiscovered gas reserves potentially available to meet our nation’s energy needs; and 

WHEREAS, the infrastructure necessary for the transportation of oil and natural gas from remote sources to the areas in which it is consumed is desperately lacking and needs federal support and funding, 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission urges the President and Congress to develop and fund a national energy policy which would:

  1. Provide access to federal lands for the development of oil and gas resources using technologies proven to be environmentally compatible, 

  2. Support and encourage research and development of new technologies used in the exploration and development of oil and gas resources, 

  3. Support the building of additions and improvements to the infrastructure for the transportation of oil and gas in the United States,

  4. Streamline the sometimes burdensome and redundant process used to approve oil and gas permitting in all federal agencies having such authority, and

  5. Support each state’s rights to oversee their own regulatory processes.

RESOLUTION 04.102

Continuing Policy on the Issue of Carbon Capture and Storage in Underground Geological Formations

WHEREAS, although the science of climate change is evolving, there is growing interest both within industry and government in the potential for the capture and storage of carbon dioxide (CO2); and 

WHEREAS, of the means by which to store CO2 is to inject it into underground geologic formations; and  

WHEREAS, in many states CO2 is currently being injected for purposes of enhanced recovery of oil and natural gas (EOR); and

WHEREAS, states regulate the injection of CO2 and other substances into underground reservoirs for purposes of EOR; and 

WHEREAS, current state regulations governing CO2 injection for EOR purposes may need to be expanded upon in order to meet the requirements for CO2 storage; and 

WHEREAS, state oil and gas directors and state geologists from a number of states gathered in Alta, Utah in July 2002, and recommended that the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) take a lead role in the coordination of an effort to develop regulatory guidelines and/or guidance documents on carbon capture and storage; and  

WHEREAS, the IOGCC in December 2002 passed Resolution 02.122 establishing a Geological Sequestration Task Force to examine the technical, policy and regulatory issues related to safe and effective CO2 storage in the subsurface, whether for enhanced hydrocarbon recovery or storage, and to prepare regulatory guidelines concerning geological storage to assist member states in regulating the injection and underground storage of CO2; and

WHEREAS, states in amending their regulations to cover CO2 storage will benefit from the involvement of the IOGCC in ongoing development and refinement of regulatory guidelines and/or guidance documents on CO2 storage; and 

WHEREAS, the IOGCC plans to continue and expand efforts of the initial CO2 Sequestration Task Force, formed in 2002 but which will sunset in January, 2005, through creation of a follow-on task force to be called the IOGCC Carbon Capture and Storage Task Force, the purpose of which will be to continue to facilitate coordination and cooperation among IOGCC member states, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Association of American State Geologists, and other organizations with an interest in injection of CO2 into underground geologic formations, to further develop and refine public policy and the regulatory framework for geologic carbon capture and storage;  

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that IOGCC:

  • Urge the U.S. Department of Energy through its Carbon Sequestration Program, which has been very interested in encouraging regulatory initiatives on this subject, and having funded initial work of the IOGCC CO2 Sequestration Task Force, to continue to provide future support for this project.
  • Urge the EPA through its Geologic Sequestration Workgroup to collaborate and coordinate with the IOGCC in using geologic storage to address carbon sequestration.
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RESOLUTION 04.103

Identifying and Promoting Energy Manpower Needs

WHEREAS, the Interstate Oil and Gas Compact Commission (IOGCC) has become a national leader in identifying petroleum manpower needs through the Petroleum Professionals Blue Ribbon Task Force convened by former Chairman, Governor John Hoeven; and  

WHEREAS, the work of the Task Force includes recommendations for state, federal and industry actions; and  

WHEREAS, a stable and adequate domestic petroleum workforce is critical to continued, environmentally sound development of natural gas and oil resources in the United States and is a key challenge to the industry at present and for the foreseeable future; and  

WHEREAS, the need for an abundant, well trained work force of professional and blue collar members has also been identified by industry groups, educational institutions, and the states, 

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the IOGCC will continue the effort identified by the Petroleum Professionals Blue Ribbon Task Force to include:

  • Development of strategies to further the recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Task Force;
  • Leadership and support for proposals to promote attention to the blue collar job needs of the domestic oil and gas industry; and
  • Encouraging the President, Vice President and appropriate Cabinet Secretaries to work with the IOGCC in adopting solutions to the identified manpower problems.
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