About

Built on a legacy: Formed in 1961 by a group of oilmen concerned about the federal government’s growing regulatory role, the Permian Basin Petroleum Association has grown from fewer than twenty members to more than 750 member companies. The largest regional oil and gas association in the U.S., the organization includes the men and women who work in the production of crude oil in the Permian Basin of west Texas and eastern New Mexico. The PBPA membership consists of some of the largest operators, as well as the smallest. It also numbers geologists, attorneys, accountants, doctors, editors, bankers and retailers among its members. The membership is so diverse because, in one way or another, everyone in the Permian Basin is involved in the petroleum business! PBPA is about membership services: The Association provides a wide variety of membership services to producers, service companies, their employees, affiliates and families. Membership services include monthly meetings, monthly newsletters, seminars on regulatory, legislative and technical issues and a group health insurance plan. PBPA is about alliances: Strong regional, state and national partnerships have helped insure PPBA’s leadership role in the petroleum industry for 50 years. We frequently partner with other associations and groups to address important industry issues. Our primary partners include: •Texas Oil and Gas Association •Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners •The Texas Alliance of Energy Producers •Panhandle Producers and Royalty Owners In New Mexico, we work closely with the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA) and the Independent Petroleum Association of New Mexico (IPANM). We also team up with the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) on federal issues. This map clearly reveals the breadth and depth of the Permian Basin, comprising more than 50 counties in Texas and New Mexico. From a geologic standpoint, the Permian Basin — the largest inland oil and gas reservoir in the Lower 48 states — has been a secure source of energy for the United States for more than 80 years. The Permian Basin is the No.1 crude oil producing region in the No.1 oil producing state in the nation. Over the years, the Association has been involved in key legislative and regulatory successes: •Helped stop surface developer driven effort to halt drilling in the city of Midland •Helped kill a legislation that would have allowed county appraisers to increase taxes on mineral interest owners •Participated on the study group developed HB2259, the inactive well bill •Lobbied Washington against the Obama Administration tax proposal and Cap and Trade •Successfully lobbied against legislation in New Mexico designed to reduce or eliminate the dominance of the mineral estate •Led the change to defeat a Texas Legislative initiative in 2007 that would have given landowers the ability to take any grievances directly to local courthouses; bypassing the Railroad Commission of Texas

To provide safety education, legislative and regulatory involvement and support services for the petroleum industry to promote members’ effectiveness and profitability.

Ben Shepperd

President

ben@pbpa.info

Ben Shepperd serves as the President of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association based in Midland, Texas, since 2006. In that role he represents oil and gas interests before legislative and regulatory bodies in Texas, New Mexico and Washington, D.C. He has more than twenty years working on state legislative and regulatory issues. His Austin experience includes staffing several Texas House members, including David Swinford, Harvey Hilderbran, and Buddy West. He served as committee counsel for the House Energy Resources Committee under Chairman West. He also served as Chairman Hilderbran’s water policy advisor in the 79th Legislative Session focusing on issues before the Natural Resources Committee. He also worked for three different state agencies over those years, including the Department of Agriculture, director of Rural Affairs for the Department of Economic Development, and as Legislative and Policy Director for Commissioner Charles Matthews at the Railroad Commission. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from Texas A & M University in College Station. Mr. Shepperd is a board member of the John Ben Shepperd Public Leadership Institute Foundation at the Universityof Texas at the PermianBasin, as well as on the Advisory Council for the UTPB School of Business.

Nicole Osburn

Office Manager

nicole@pbpa.info

A West Texas Native, Nicole Harissis-Osburn joined PBPA in 2010 as office manager.  Her background includes Restaurant Management for Logan’s Roadhouse & Johnny Carino’s, and worked in the Business Development Group for Key Energy Services.  She is a director and help found a local charity Reel Thanx, a wounded military non-profit organization that supports combat wounded active duty service men and also helped create the sister organization Reel Wives which provides support for their families.  As a former Marine, Nicole has great passion for her country and is dedicated to helping protect and aid all our freedoms and liberties.

JoAnna Robertson

Communications Coordinator

joanna@pbpa.info

JoAnna Robertson joined PBPA as the communications coordinator in January of 2011. Robertson is a recent graduate of Texas Tech University, with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Communications. She is married and resides in Andrews, Texas, with her husband Jeff.

Ray Brazzel

Bandera Drilling Co., Inc.

Doug Rogers

Basic Energy Services

Sandy Beach

Beach Exploration, Inc.

Alan Means

Cambrian Management Ltd.

Mike Rieken

Chevron

Jon Thoma

Compass Bank

Cindy Hetzel

DCP Midstream

Jeff Sparks

Discovery Operating, Inc.

Brad Wall

EnerVest Management Partners

Doug Robison

ExL Petroleum, LP

Scott Dinger

ExL Petroleum, LP

Mark Merritt

Fasken Oil & Ranch, Ltd.

Angela Staples

Fletcher Law Offices, PC

Danny Campbell

Henry Resources

Larry Richards

Hy-Bon Engineering Company

Steve Jumper

Dawson Geophysical

Steven Jeffcoat

Johnson, Miller & Company

Paul Kenworthy

Kenworthy Oil Co.

Paul Nunley

Kinder Morgan CO2 Company

Steve Pruett

Legacy Reserves, LP

Kyle Rose

Concho Resources

Jerry Fanning 

Yates Petroleum

Tadd Owens

Pioneer Natural Resources

Obie O’Brien

Apache Corporation

Clint Walker

Cudd Energy Services

Taylor Mayne

Mayne & Mertz, Inc.

Nick Taylor

Mexco Resources

Vicki Hollub

Occidental Permian, Ltd.

Ben Shepperd

PBPA

Mark Thomas

Plains Marketing L.P.

Bob Kiker

R.D.Kiker, Inc.

Rosalind Redfern Grover

Redfern Enterprises, Inc.

Harry Spannaus

Retired USAF/PBPA

Mike Robinson

Robinson Drilling of Texas

Patrick Bond

Schlumberger

Dennis Johnson

Summit Petroleum

Jack Ladd

UTPB

Richard Folger

Warren Equipment

Larry Edgerton

Weaver International

Robert Winkler

Western National Bank

Paul Colwell

Whiting Petroleum Corporation

Chairman of the Board

Doug Robison

ExL Petroleum, LP

Immediate Past President

Taylor Mayne

Mayne & Mertz, Inc.

Chairman-Elect

Mark Merritt

Fasken Oil & Ranch, Ltd.

V.P. at Large

Steve Pruett

Legacy Reserves, LP

Area V.P.

Mike Robinson

Robinson Drilling of Texas

Area V.P.

Ray Brazzel

Bandera Drilling Co., Inc.

Area V.P.

Dennis Johnson

Summit Petroleum

Secretary/ Treasurer

Steven Jeffcoat

Johnson, Miller & Company

Honorary Vice President

Harry Spannaus

Retired USAF/PBPA

General Counsel

Angela Staples

Fletcher Law Offices, PC

Taylor Mayne

Kirk Edwards

Bruce Brady

Richard Sivalls

Charles D. Fraser

Steve Castle

Robert Dean

Jim C. Henry

John R. Dorr

Paul L. Morris

Joe. B McShane, Jr.

L.D. “”Buddy”” Sipes, Jr.

W. D. Kennedy

Scott Sheffield

Ford Chapman

Ted Collins, Jr.

Robert M. Orr

Glenn S. Brant

Russell J. Ramsland, Sr.

Charles Perry

C.W. Brown

Perry Bolger

J.W. Hunt

Ken McPeters

Robert M. Leibrock

Arden R. Grover

W.T. Edwards

A.W. Dillard, Jr.

Joseph O’Neill, Jr.

Past Top Hand Recipients:

Stanley Moore*

John P. Butler*

Eddie Chiles*

Ben Alexander

Ed Thompson*

Charles Perry

John E. Reid*

Robert O. Anderson*

C.W. “Claude” Brown*

Joseph O’Neill, Jr.*

Joe B. McShane, Jr.

Carlton Beal, Sr.*

Joe Pevehouse*

George Gipson*

Robert M. Leibrock*

John L. Cox*

Cy Wagner & Jack Brown

Mac O. Boring, Jr.*

Clayton W. Williams, Jr.

Decker Dawson

Todd Aaron*

Myra Robinson

John F. Younger*

Arlen L. Edgar

Tom L. Brown*

L.D. “Buddy” Sipes

Jim Henry

Cloyce Talbott & Glenn Patterson

Ted Collins, Jr.

Arden & Rosalind Redfern-Grover

The Honorable Tom Craddick

Tim Leach

Ben Shepperd

Cindy Hetzel

Doug Robison

Jeff Sparks

Kirk Edwards

Larry Richards

Mark Merritt

Nick Taylor

Obie O’Brien

Paul Kenworthy

Rosalind Grover

Scott Dinger

Steve Pruett

Taylor Mayne

Ben Shepperd

Billy L. Stockton

Cindy Hetzel

David Garrett

David Purdy

Don Webb

Donna Warndof

Doug Robison

Larry Richards

Mark Merritt

Peggy Waisanen

Scott Dinger

Steven Fleming

Ben Shepperd

Bill Wight

Bonnie Leck

Greg Nibert

Tom Brown

Dennis Young

Dan Girand

Gregg Fulfer

Gwen Gist

Hiram Hubert

Honorable Judge Greg M. Holl

Honorable Richard H. Dolgener

Judge John Farmer

Lance T. Celander

Mayor David Cutbirth

Michael Whitehead

Mike Gallagher

Rep. Dennis Kintigh

Sandrea Stout

Ben Shepperd

Debi Moore

Doug Robison

Eileen Dey

Jimmy Carlisle

L. Galusky

Larry Richards

Liz Bush-Ivie

Lyn Sockwell

Pete Hagist

Scott Crump

Sharon Hall

Steve Tischer