This is a Republican primary race.  Do you promise, if elected, to abide by the RPT platform? And if not, please enumerate what problems you have.

I promise, if elected to abide by the RPT platform.

What differentiates you from your opponents?

I was educated at Texas A&M University where we are taught on a daily basis to find the solution and implement new technology to advance industry.  I have a conservative vision for our state that delivers real measurable results, not just rhetoric. My past experience and current experience in the oil and gas industry have prepared me for this moment to protect Texans from a future where our demand is outpacing our supply.

The incumbent does not have any industry experience, he is a career politician who disregards his constituents and their concerns.  The incumbent is more worried about his re-election campaign account, being loyal to his donors, and how much money he has raised rather than what the issues are in the Lone Star State and solving them.

My other opponents while having some industry experience do not have the solutions or the experience delivering solutions to the industry like I have and I continue to do.  My other opponents also lack the political knowledge needed in order to advance efforts and make necessary changes.  I am 100% Texan and was educated here in Texas. My other opponents, Dawayne and Sarah are not.

I am offering solutions to our environmental problems that involve FREE MARKET approaches and championing these at the Railroad Commission.  I formed Artemis Energy with Kat Galloway to deliver solutions to operators with flared gas. We deliver more revenue at the end of the day for operators.  No one loses. We have numerous ways to bring industry more money, but our current leadership choices do not know how to advance it properly. We can repeal the tax on flared- gas immediately, and we can also champion efforts by nonprofits to plug orphaned wells.  There is a ton of low hanging fruit that needs to be picked now. 

I also propose we find a fiscally responsible way to rename the Railroad Commission.  I am proud of Oil & Gas and our energy industry here in Texas, we should be promoting our industry and its success that it has brought for Texans, not hiding it.

In your opinion, what happened w/the energy grid failure in February of 2021 and what steps has the TRRC taken to alleviate/mitigate this from happening again?

The grid failure was a result of us not being tested after several years of rapid growth which bring massive demand to our grid now.  In the 1980's Galveston Bay froze over, but we had coal-fired plants to help keep us warm and not near as many people living in Texas.

Now our population has exploded and we have less coal-fired plants.  We also have a terrific network of pipelines that deliver natural gas, but if ERCOT chooses to turn the power off to those facilities to "save the grid", then those essential facilities that deliver us gas for more electricity must be protected from winter weather like we experienced.  More audits should be conducted to examine the true capacity of the grid on a quarterly basis along with field audits of natural gas facilities to ensure the supply is always meting the demand and the planned demand for the future.  We cannot have a one-time solution, this system must be closely monitored and evaluated to insure there is no way we ever have a blackout like we did in February.

The Railroad Commission made a positive step when they hired oil ans gas professional Ted Wooten to be the Director of Critical Inftrastructure.  We need to do even more though as more coal-fired plants come offline and Texas becomes more reliant on natural gas for our power than ever before.  The Railroad Commission has to be adequately prepared for the freeze. We absolutely cannot allow the crown jewel of Texas (our oil & gas industry) to be blamed for another 5 day blackout.  Only bold leadership will be able to accomplish this task.  We must hold ourselves accountable and prepare for the worst possible events now.  A fine balance is needed, but we must lean on the cautious side when it comes to our life saving resources like oil and gas and make sure it will flow in Texans' time of need.

How did the closing of the Keystone XL pipeline affect the Texas Oil and Gas economy? What can the RRC do to minimize those effects?

The canceling of the Keystone XL took away jobs from Texans who worked here in the industry maintaining pipelines, installing pipelines, and processing crude.  Pipelines increase the supply of energy and help us meet the growing demands we see in Texas everyday as more and more Texans pour across the borders into the Lone Star State seeking employment, cheap cost-of-living, and cheap energy.

The Railroad Commission can help make sure our new pipelines are permitted in accordance with State law in a timely manner and safe manner so we can expand our industry without doing harm to the environment. We have to show the public we know what we are doing and he can be responsible while moving our products across the nation.  TRRC should ensure our pipeline safety is number one in the nation, making us the leader for moving power to the people.  Energy is freedom and our pipelines must be built to support that legacy for decades to come. Lets do the best job we can and expand this network to expand our supply now!  More supply on the market can help us mitigate the effects of the canceled Keystone XL.

One of the issues noted w/the Feb. 2021 freeze was that much of the oil & gas equipment was not winterized properly. Was that the case, who's to blame and what's the solution?

The Railroad Commission is ultimately responsible as the regulator of these properties. The operators will only spend money where they are required to in most cases, I know this because I helped operate multiple oil companies in Texas over the years. Some operators use iron flow lines instead of poly flow lines, those operators do not experience the same issues due to the natural of the product they are using.

Our grid relies on natural gas for power now more than ever thanks to the Obama policies of ending Coal-Fired power plants.  We have to showcase how powerful our industry is when the weather is bad, and our network of pipelines has to be ready to deliver results for Texans, our voters deserve accountability and I will bring that to the table.  More audits and more winterization will likely be needed to ensure the grid is ready for another harsh winter.  Galveston Bay did not even freeze in February like it did in the 1980's yet we saw a monster demand on our grid the likes we have never seen.  Our population is booming, we have to show these new voters that we know how to keep the lights on in our time of need!

Please discuss your views on the concept of "sustainability" and the energy resources needed by this nation.

Sustainability is the capacity to endure on ongoing way of life so that life on earth can continue and grow.

Texas has thousands of new residents arriving to the Lone Star State everyday.  We are growing at record pace while at the same time the Federal government has told us we must close our coal-powered facilities and stop burning coal to create electricity.  This means we are missing the crticial baseload power sources we once enjoyed and now we must rely on another form of reliable power.

Sustainability is reliability.  Without reliable, abundant sources of energy, we cannot sustain life here in Texas.  We need all the power we can get. This means bringing efficiency into the equation like never before. The industry has found new ways to become even more efficient now and has the solutions to the power issues we have experienced, but it takes bold leadership with the right vision at the Railroad Commission to see that our industry responds to the situation correctly and shows Texans just how innovative and creative we really are.

I look forward to bringing more electricity to our grid from oil & gas operations through free-market solutions.  Together the Railroad Commission and the Oil Industry can make big changes that harden our grid and increase revenue for operators at the same time.

Please describe how the Railroad Commission has influenced legislation in the past 2 legislative sessions and how you would envision the RRC influencing the 88th session.

The RRC has done a horrible job of influencing legislation.  Nothing is brought to the legislature without the approval of the speaker who is one of the Commissioner's fathers.  The corruption is real.

We should have repealed the tax on flared gas. Wyoming already did. Once again, Texas is behind the ball.  If we repeal the flared-gas tax then gas that was once being flared can be converted to money without paying a tax!  What a concept!   Wyoming beat us.  Why?!!   Because our leadership is weak and ineffective.

Lets send someone to Austin who knows what policies need to be implemented on Day 1!

How would you balance the use of existing energy sources with the development of alternate energy sources in Texas?

Alternative sources of energy will continue to be developed.  The question is whether or not these sources are subsidized in the future, and to what extent.

If there were no subsidies, then wind and solar would not be economical.  Our representatives in D.C. have decided to vote for subsidies.  If we want the subsidies to end, we have to replace the representatives with officials who believe they must end.

Until then, Texas must work to keep our base load power supply robust.  We cannot allow the Federal government to take away all of our base load power and replace it with intermittent sources of power. We saw what happened in February. Lets not repeat it again!   

We have to increase the natural gas storage capacity and install more Nat gas power plants.  We will use natural gas instead of coal to power Texas, but we have to be ready for the population explosion we are experiencing and we have to make sure this Nat gas is ready to roll!

Lets end the subsidies for renewables and lead the way with clean burning natural gas!

How would you describe the safety record for Texas pipelines? Is the public safe?

Overall, I believe Texas has a good record of pipeline operations - however there is always room for improvement. What happened with Kinder Morgan and the river in the summer of 2020 should never happen again.  Chip Roy should not have to drop everything to visit with Republican land owners who have drilling mud coming out of their shower faucets. That should not happen.  We have to make sure the technology needed to prevent these accidents is employed so the industry does not take any more black eyes.  This technology is a fraction of the overall cost of a pipeline project.  It will save us from future headaches but we have to start promoting its use today.

We need pipelines. We need them installed and operated safely. We can't afford any major issues.  Everyone is watching us.

Who is endorsing you and what is their relationship to you?

Paul Williams - Former Quarterback for the Houston Oilers, and Managing Director of Stallion Energy Group. Paul drills oil and gas wells and is in charge of operating Stallion.  I met Paul through oil & gas here in Houston and we both share the same vision of maximum energy freedom for Texans. It's an honor to have Paul Williams as a friend in Texas.  He's the definition of what it means to be a Texan.

Gary Tumlinson - Gary is an engineer with decades of exeprience around the world working in oil and gas, drilling wells, plugging wells, and everything inbetween on the upstream side of the business.  Althought Gary went to UT, he told me years ago that I would be asked to run for Railroad Commissioner one day, and he was correct. He shares the same bold vision I do for the Railroad Commission and the State of Texas. It is an honor to have worked for Gary for over 6 years at Apache Corporation on his decommissiong team plugging hundreds of wells. I am happy to call this Longhorn my friend and my mentor.

Richard Angelle - Oil & Gas professional with over 40 years of industry experience working on wells. He is currenlty the V.P. of Acquisitions at Sanare Energy Partners. I have worked with Richard for many years here in Houston and in Louisiana on oil and gas upstream projects.  His cousin is Scott Angelle, former Director of BSEE for President Trump.  Richard is a great defender of our industry and works hard to keep oil and gas flowing in America.

Charles Rougeau - CEO Sanare Energy Partners - Charles and I have worked hand in hand since 2013 in Oil and Gas.  We operated dozens of fields together and have drilled, recompleted, worked-over, and plugged wells together.  Charles has an excellent reputation in the industry and is highly respected by his peers. It's an honor to call Charles Rougeau my friend, my mentor, and my boss.

Schuyler Wight - Cattle Rancher, Pecos County Texas.    Schuyler Wight is a landowner and rancher from the Imperial, TX area. He ranches thousands of acres of land which has numerous water issues.  Mr. Wight has had issues plugging wells on his land and I have offered to help him where possible.  It's up to Texans to help other Texans in their time of need.  Texans look our for Texans, and we have to make sure our landowners, farmers, and ranchers are not disregarded. 

More endorsements coming soon.

To what extent are you in favor of subsidies for alternative energy?

I am not in favor of subsides, they create a market that is not free and one that costs taxpayers money.  If we had no subsidies then solar and wind would not be possible in America due to the costs.  Oil and gas has to do a better job communicating to the public all the money it delivers to the state and what it pays for every year.  Texas takes in billions of dollars that make our education system possible, what does solar and wind produce?  Nothing.

I can argue for days against subsidizing solar and wind.  Our politicians in Washington have already been bought off by those industries. If we want the subsidies to end, we have to elect new leaders.

Do you support or oppose an increase in Business Tax to reduce property taxes?

I do not support an increase in the business tax to reduce the property tax.  If we need to reduce the property tax, we could increase the consumption tax (sales tax to the customer).  This taxes everyone who steps into the state, instead of just the residents.

We can have creative solutions to address our high property taxes, but we must sit down and discuss the solutions at length with the party and find what voters prefer the most, not what sounds good.  There's no point in lowering the property taxes if it will just move the problem around.  Lets have real, common sense solutions that everyone supports and can get behind.

Please explain your view of the balance between property rights and the development of energy as it applies to the Railroad Commission

Landowner rights in Texas are very important.  Texans own 100,000 of acres of beautiful Texas land and it up to our leadership in Austin to ensure that the owners of this land are not treaded on.  "Don't tread on me" is real.

Oil and gas development is a positive for our state and we have to work WITH landowners to make sure we are doing everything we possibly can to develop these resources responsibly.  If a landowner, farmer, rancher, or business has issues with an oil and gas operation on their surface that are legitimate concerns, they must be heard. We cannot simply ignore them anymore like we have in the past. Our industry suffers greatly when we do in the eyes of the public.

I will be a Railroad Commissioner for EVERY Texan.  I will answer the call. I will come to the community.

There is a fine balance that must be held in place carefully in Austin.  Lets restore that balance with integrity and a public servant that serves the public!

What's the biggest federal overeach issue for the RRC?

The biggest Federal overarch issue for the RRC has to do with their plans to stop allowing injection wells to operate via the EPA.  The Biden Administration has looked into ways of over-regulating the industry and shutting down all of the Class I injection wells in Texas.  The Biden Administration has also looked into ways to punish Texas for emissions, whether they are gas emissions or fluid emissions.  The Biden Administration also wants to punish Texas when it comes to how much funds we receive to plug out orphaned wells.  Native American tribes in Oklahoma are receiving billions of dollars.  Texas will be lucky to get $30MM, just a drop in the bucket to plug another 1400 wells off of our 6000 orphaned well list.  Oklahoma will have no liability on Native American land in about 3 or 4 years.   Texas will still have $100MM's in liability because our Feds play favorites and always have.

We need bold leadership in Austin to stop the Biden Administration from shutting down or crippling the industry.

Is Energy Independence achievable and how do we get there?

Energy Independence is very achieveable.  We get there by working together as a nation to all produce as much power as we can.  Texas does an excellent job but we always have room for improvement.

In order for America as a nation to get back to a place where we export more than we import, we have to keep pushing energy freedom policies that allow companies to produce this energy.  When Federal government brings in barriers to producing this and then sells off oiur strategic petroleum reserves, we become less energy independent. 

When the time comes to go to war again with a foreign agressor, America must be ready.  Oil and gas won World War II.   Oil and gas will continue to win wars.  We must be prepared for future conflict.  We must ensure our reserves are filled to the brim and our production is supporting our demand and also supporting a robust export demand.

Lets not let China get ahead of us when it comes to energy independence.  We must stay ahead of the game.

What alternative energy source should Texas be focusing on and what steps will you take to promote that source?

The one alternative source I really like is "Pumped Storage"  which a professor named Joe Dancy at SMU in Dallas told me about.  Pumped storage uses gravity and elevation to create electrictity.  We pump water up the mesa during the day and then let it run down the mesa at night creating an artificial waterfall.  This method is efficient and we should look into advanciung it in west Texas.  It's less of an eyesore than putting up more windfarms.

Please describe what you believe is the proper role for the government in job creation and intervention in the economy.

The government should help business grow by ending red tape that prevents business owners from conducting business. Our government is our own worst enemy in many cases.  By eliminating barriers to entry, we can grow the economy quicker.  The last thing our government should be doing is restricting more business growth.

How many years of economical hydrocarbon reserves does Texas have?

Texas has over 100 years of hydrocarbons left untapped.  We have more economical ways of producing this oil and more ways of not losing it to the atmosphere through flaring or venting. We have the capability to do more with less and we will. We will stretch our reserves out longer than anyone has ever thought possible.  We will invent better ways of producing oil and gas, our industry always adapt to the challenge.  Oil and gas is HERE TO STAY in Texas, but we have to make sure our children have an industry to work in and that our Federal government doesn't shut it down before they get the chance to participate in the BEST INDUSTRY EVER.

What regulations does Texas have in place to assure that energy production does not pose health risks to those living nearby? What, if any, regulations are still needed?

Texas has some regulations in place to help protect freshwater from contamination but we don't have many in place to protect those who are located next to well bores that are leaking gases and fluids that can kill livestock or humans.

We should closely examine the regulations and see if Texans are comfortable with what we currently have in place.  We cannot allow our oil and gas operations to impact life in Texas.  We have to find ways to work together in a safe, responsible environment.

Is there anything in your background of an embarrassing nature that should be explained before your election? Arrests/Convictions? Bankruptcys?

I have never been under arrest for anything, I have never been to jail. I have never been convicted of a crime.  I have never filed for bankruptcy.

What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position?

I have over 15 years experience working in oil and gas here in Texas, Louisiana, and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.

I have plugged over 1,000 well bores.  I have operated two small oil and gas companies in Texas, one in Pecos County and one in Crockett County.

I know the regulations in Texas inside and out. I have been permitting wells in Texas for over a decade and I know what the rules are and why we have them.

I am 4th generation oil and gas. I am 5th generation Texan.  I am Texas-educated.   I know the issues Repunlican primary voters care most about.  I will answer the phone and show up to speak with them if they have concerns.  I will never tune them out.

What changes can be made to the Railroad Commission to make it operate more efficiently (cost savings) and effectively, and how would you propose to make those changes?

We can work with nonprofits in Texas that plug and abandon orphaned wells to end the orphaned wells on the orphaned well list.  We have over 6,000 orphaned wells and around $200MM in liability that needs to be sorted through and put back online, or decommissioned.

Texas can use nonprofits to erase this liability without using TAXPAYER money or more bonding money.

Republicans in Austin including Greg Abbott just RAISED bonding on operators but you will not hear that from any Republicans.  Why is the RRC ok with higher bonding instead of addressing the issues head-on?  Are these people running the RRC fiscal conservatives?  I say no.

Explain how a Railroad Commissioner can represent the interests of the state when they are in conflict with the interests of energy sector campaign donors.

As Railroad Commissioner, I promise to work with EVERYONE in Texas.  Landowners, Farmers, Cattle Ranchers, and Oil Companies.

I grew up in Brownfield where you work in oil and gas or you are a farmer.  We are all friends in these small communities. Everyone knows everyone.

We cannot turn our citizens against each other when a problem arises with oil and gas operations. That leads to negative images and more ammunition for liberals to come after Texas oil and gas.

Texans need leadership that is bold, decisive, and has the integrity and moral compass to do the right thing at the right time.   There are plenty of service companies and oil companies doing the right thing on a daily basis, but when mistakes happen we can't hide them just because they donated to your campaign.

I pledge that I will not cover up and not hide any issues that may arise, even if the issue involves on of my donors.  We have to work together and work through the issues and keep the public informed.  Public trust in oil and gas must be restored.  We make the wheels turn in Texas and we make the lights come on.  We have to show Texans we are not corrupt and we ARE looking out for the constituents best interest.

I hold no oil and gas working interest, stocks, mineral rights, or royalties in Texas.  I have not taken any donations from super-majors as of 12.15.2021.