What’s ahead for U.S. natural gas? What potential does this energy resource hold and what challenges are likely?
ConocoPhillips chairman and CEO James J. Mulva was one of several distinguished speakers on this topic at the daylong North American Energy Resources Summit held Jan. 18 by the Energy Forum of the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy.
The summit brought together prominent industry, environmental and academic leaders to discuss the great potential of North American oil and gas resources, particularly from unconventional sources such as shale and oil sands in Canada, and the environmental and political hurdles to development.
Conference speakers emphasized the importance of shale in the United States and noted how it would increasingly contribute to oil production, as well as affect global markets.
Opening keynote speakers Peter H. Lehner, executive director of the Natural Resources Defense Council, and John Deutch, Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, both critiqued the industry for its initial public relations concerning shale gas that led to public mistrust among some groups and offered suggestions for improvements going forward.
Other speakers included: James Carter, retired president and chief operating officer of Syncrude Canada; Juan José Suárez Coppel, director general of Pemex; and John Hanger, special counsel at Eckert Seamens and former director of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
James Mulva’s speech is below, at around the 56-minute mark in the video, following the opening remarks by Peter H. Lehner and John Deutch and an introduction by Susan Farrell, senior director of PFC Energy. You can also watch the entire webcast of the North American Energy Resources Summit.