WATCHING WASHINGTON EXIT HENSON MOORE

The industry is awaiting word as to whom the Bush administration will name to succeed W. Henson Moore as the Energy Department's deputy secretary.

Moore has been named deputy chief of staff in the White House.

The son of a drilling contractor and a former 12 term congressman from Louisiana, Moore was a relentless advocate for the oil and gas industry at DOE-which despite its name does very little to support the oil and gas industry.

In his 3 years at DOE, Moore did more to help the industry than anyone since Don Hodel was secretary in 1982-85.

DOE CHANGES

Moore worked to revise oil and gas R&D at the department, often was the point man for DOE's National Energy Strategy (NES), and conceived and established a bureau to help U.S. companies get contracts and win concessions overseas.

He takes some managerial skills to the White House, but more importantly he has political and campaign experience that should be useful in an election year.

Moore won't forget his concerns about the state of the oil and gas industry, either. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm going to have a continuing interest in energy. I hope they understand that at the White House."

He has come to appreciate the people who fill DOE's bureaus. "I leave very much surprised and pleased...at how good many of them are."

And he has nothing but praise for Energy Sec. James Watkins: "He's a world class leader. He knows what he's doing and where he's going."

He said under Watkins, DOE has made an 180 turn in direction and has started to function as a cohesive department for the first time since its amalgamation in 1977.

For instance, he said all R&D efforts have been refocused to achieve specific goals, "regardless of what R&D has gone on before." As a result, the latest budget contains $725 million of research to support the NES.

He noted oil R&D has been targeted to improve recovery from existing reservoirs and gas R&D to increasing demand. The budget for the latter has been increased 200%, and Moore predicted another increase in fiscal 1994.

In another effort to improve gas utilization, Moore noted DOE is sponsoring a conference to educate members of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners on the current state of the gas market.

He said, "Many of them are still operating on misinformation that was put out in the mid 1970s" that there's a natural gas shortage.

REGRETS

Moore repeatedly expressed regrets at leaving DOE now. He said, "We spent 1989 turning over the rocks and finding out what the problems were," devised solutions in 1990, and implemented them in 1991.

"In 1992 you're going to see the results of 3 years of hard work. I'm sorry I won't be here to see these things happen."

Moore's successor hasn't been announced yet, but Moore knows the person and predicted the next deputy secretary also will be a strong advocate for the oil and gas industry.