Oil's Well

Fuel costs are hitting us all where it hurts—so when the surrounding issues are a hot button for everyone from the federal government to the airline industry to the everyday consumer, how contentious a group do you think the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) is to plan for? Turns out, not as much as you might expect, although their content sure is heavy.

"Consumers are hyper-focused on this issue now and we don't think that it's a bad thing to be in the public eye. People are finally starting to hear our message," says Tina Hamlin, vice president of meetings for IPAA in Washington, DC. IPAA supports independent domestic producers and their companies, and supports offshore deep-sea exploration, as well as the use of federal lands onshore to find new supplies of American energy. Members' companies are considered "upstream," meaning they engage in exploration and production, versus the "downstream" sector, which refines and sells finished products such as gasoline, jet fuel, and propane.

Hamlin, who has been with IPAA for 20 years, and her staff handle all meetings and events for the organization—a workload that has swelled significantly over the years. "When I started, there were only two meetings, but now we have about 30 each year," she says, adding that "they've decreased in numbers a lot too. A lot more people were in this business when I started, but those numbers have decreased because fewer people are willing to risk [being in the industry] now."

A Homecoming

For IPAA's mid-year meeting, held June 19-21 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, CO, attendees came together for content-rich sessions, followed by doses of entertainment that included the presidential historian Michael Beschloss, who was a big hit with attendees, and a popular golf outing that pits the "Oil Team" against the "Gas Team."

The Broadmoor holds an important place in IPAA's history—the association was founded there in 1929 during President Herbert Hoover's Oil Conservation Conference "to give a national voice to domestic producers," explains Hamlin. "We didn't return until our 75th anniversary. We got rave reviews and we do plan to go back [again in the future] as long as we can afford it. I am rate-sensitive because not all of my members can afford a place like The Broadmoor."

And with fuel prices soaring, can these members afford to get to their own meetings? Although Hamlin says IPAA does not directly address fuel costs, the association does meet in locations fairly convenient to all attendees. "Most of our members are in Texas, Colorado, and California so it's not as far of a trip [to The Broadmoor]. We do try to keep it centrally located for everyone," says Hamlin, adding that "we sometimes go to Florida and hope we'll have producers there at some point."

IPAA's end-of-the-year meeting will be in Houston this year and rotates among New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas, with Austin appearing every now and again. "We host meetings only in the lower 48, where the majority of our members do business," explains Hamlin.

A Family Affair

Members are encouraged to bring their spouses and children to the meeting and their involvement serves a twofold purpose. Hamlin estimates that 75 percent of members bring their spouses, who enjoy the semi-annual opportunity to socialize. "Our members are very family-oriented and so busy every day that they really enjoy having time to spend with their spouses and children." At the same time, encouraging young people to attend events helps them to see the value of the association. And, should they follow in their parents' footsteps and work in the industry, the exposure could inspire them to become active members of IPAA as well.

The 2008 mid-year meeting played host to some 500 attendees and family members, including roughly 30 children, who also attended the final evening's event, "A Night in Marrakech," which featured belly dancers, tarot card readers, and other entertainment. "I had planned to have henna tattoo artists, but canceled at the last second because I figured the ladies wouldn't want to do it. I shouldn't have canceled though," says Hamlin. "The kids would have loved it!"

More serious events included sessions incorporating current political issues as well as local and international concerns. "At this meeting, we added a speaker on global climate change to address this ever- present and important topic. Dr. William Gray, professor emeritus from the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University gave a very enlightening presentation about this issue," says Hamlin. "Additionally, we held a session titled 'View from the Street' to address the volatility of commodity prices—especially given the recent spike in crude oil. We brought in a financial analyst from Goldman Sachs who predicts that oil prices will continue to $200 and another speaker who predicts that it will decrease by year's end to around $70 a barrel. We thought it was important to give our members both outlooks. The final speaker on the panel addressed natural gas supply and demand."

Since the upcoming elections could have a major impact on members, Hamlin invited Frank Luntz, the political pollster, to speak to attendees about how they can effectively communicate with their key audiences. She also plans to add a session at the annual meeting in November on how to coordinate a meeting with a member of Congress. "We are a small group," she says, "and we need all of our members' help in getting our message out to the current and newly elected officials."

Originally published Aug. 1, 2008

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