CHARLESTON — Charlie Burd will now oversee the Gas and Oil Association of West Virginia, a new organization that was created by the merging of two oil and gas trade associations in the state.
The organizations – the Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia and the West Virginia Oil and Natural Gas Association – decided to join forces after realizing that they were focusing on the same causes. The organizations felt they could join forces and be a louder voice together.
Burd said they joined horizontally in 2008 but decided now to merge completely.
Burd
"As such, we really believe GO-WV can have a much stronger and clearer voice on these matters, regarding legislation, the environment, safety and public policy," Burd said on a recent Empowering America podcast.
Burd said the merger was destined as the organizations have worked together for many years.
"Like most industries around the nation, the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly impacted business," Burd said on the podcast. "It has slowed down investment and caused reductions in traditional workforce numbers. However, due to drilling efficiencies — how we drill, how efficiently we can hydraulically fracture, and our ability to drill over horizontal laterals and produce tremendous volumes of natural gas from fewer wells — that has served us well."
Burd said in 2019, the state produced 2.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. He said the industry hopes to see those types of volumes to continue.
Burd said throughout the pandemic, he has seen the industry come forward to help first responders and healthcare workers. He said it was really rewarding to see the industry in West Virginia step up to meet the needs of others.
Burd said the last four years, the industry has thrived than it previously had in the years before. He said with how well the industry has done now, it's proof America can be energy-dominant.
"We really need to embrace new forms of energy, that's without question," Burd said. "But the Green New Deal takes that too far by trying to totally eliminate these types of energy."
Burd has been the executive director of the IOGAWV since 2002.