George H. (Bud) Lawrence, driving force behind the American Gas Association for 14 years, retires this week.
Lawrence has been president of AGA during some of its most trying times but never lost his enthusiasm for the potential of gas in the U.S. or the energy to lobby for it.
Michael Baly III, AGA executive vice-president and CEO, will succeed Lawrence. Baly joined AGA in 1977 and became vice-president of governmental relations in 1979.
Lawrence, after graduating from Oklahoma State University, joined Humble Oil & Refining Co. as an engineer and later got a law degree and switched to the legal department, working on natural gas cases. He was recruited to help American Petroleum Institute campaign for field price decontrol in 1964 and in 1968 headed AGA's Washington office. He assumed AGA's presidency in 1976--just in time for the battle over the Natural Gas Policy Act.
NGPA eliminated the disparity between interstate and intrastate pipeline prices and erased some field price controls. It helped boost gas reserves and launched events that have resulted in open access pipeline transportation.
LAWRENCE'S OPTIMISM
Lawrence says, "Now the controls are off and the new technology is on the run. And the gas supply pessimists are on the run because it's becoming a clear consensus that the resource base for natural gas is there.
"One of the things that has really hampered this industry--concern about long term supply--is very rapidly going out of our lives. And when consumers get real confidence in long term natural gas supply, a lot of real good things will happen for this industry."
He said pipeline industry restructuring has led to a "much more dynamic, less regulated, more competitive era," although he foresees pipelines assuming more of a merchant role again.
"I think you're going to continue to see improvements in high efficiency electric generation such as combined cycle combustion turbines, cogeneration packaged units, and how we use natural gas with coal."
He said the Clean Air Act is going to give the gas industry a strong push in the natural gas vehicle market by promoting centrally fueled fleets. "That's where we can put in our infrastructure to serve vehicles the easiest.
"When Detroit finally focuses its talent and wherewithal on developing a dedicated natural gas engine to really capture most efficiently the real benefits of this 130 octane fuel and builds a chassis to fit and use it, it's going to be a whole new world."
Lawrence said, "Energy security is going to be important from now on--not like 1973 and 1979 when we talked about it a lot and then quickly forgot it. The difference is we've sent 200,000 American men and women over there in harm's way."
LAWRENCE'S PLANS
Lawrence will continue working part time on gas industry financial outreach efforts in Europe and Japan and representing AGA at the International Gas Union. On his own time, he will do some lobbying in Washington and renew his association with Norman, Okla., consultant Preston Moore.
Lawrence stresses his achievements would not have been possible without "a lot of support from my membership and our great AGA staff. I'm very confident I'm leaving things in capable hands. It's just time for me to get on and do something else."
Copyright 1990 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.