IPAA Announces New Chairman

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IPAA Announces New Chairman

In a release sent to Rigzone by the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) team recently, the IPAA announced Michael A. Hillebrand as its new board chairman. Hillebrand is the chief executive officer of Pennsylvania-based Huntley & Huntley, the release highlighted. He has been appointed by the IPAA board for a two year term through 2026, […]

In a release sent to Rigzone by the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) team recently, the IPAA announced Michael A. Hillebrand as its new board chairman.

Hillebrand is the chief executive officer of Pennsylvania-based Huntley & Huntley, the release highlighted. He has been appointed by the IPAA board for a two year term through 2026, the release outlined.

The IPAA noted in the release that its board approved Hillebrand at the IPAA’s annual meeting in late fall, adding that Hillebrand officially assumed the role this month. Hillebrand replaces Steven H. Pruett, President and Chief Executive Officer of Elevation Resources LLC.

Hillebrand has thirty-nine years of combined experience in both vertical and horizontal well drilling, completions, and operations, as well as all operating and financial aspects of oil and natural gas business development, assembly and acquisition, and marketing, a bio page on the IPAA’s website states.

The bio page notes that Hillebrand “has played a key leadership role in securing over $1.1 billion of capital funding and/or commitments into several of Huntley’s affiliated companies”. It adds that “one of those companies, Olympus Energy, now operates nearly 100,000 acres and in one of SW Pennsylvania’s last undeveloped core Marcellus, deep Utica and Upper Devonian unconventional shale positions, now producing over 600 mmcf/d”.

Hillebrand’s bio page on the IPAA site also highlights that Hillebrand is member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the current Chairman of the Pennsylvania Independent Oil and Gas Association (PIOGA).

According to a bio page on Pruett, hosted on the IPAA site, the previous chairman of the IPAA has 38 years of oil and gas operating, financial, and management experience. He co-founded Elevation Resources LLC, was previously Senior Vice President of Corporate Development of Concho Resources over 2012-13, and also co-founded and served as President and CFO of Legacy Reserves LP, the bio page highlighted.

Pruett also previously served as President and CEO of First Permian and First Reserve Oil & Gas Co and served as Vice President of First Reserve Corporation, the page pointed out, noting that he was an energy investment banker with CS First Boston.

“Mike brings fantastic business and technical expertise to the role of chairman, coupled with a passion for industry and association advocacy,” IPAA President and Chief Executive Officer Jeff Eshelman said in the release.

“Past-chairman Steve Pruett, the president and chief executive officer of Elevation Resources, has been invaluable in expanding IPAA’s reach in Texas and the Permian Basin,” he added.

“I look forward to working with Mike on deepening our roots and relationships in my home state of Pennsylvania and throughout the Appalachian Basin formations,” he continued.

The IPAA notes on its site that it has represented independent oil and natural gas producers for more than 90 years. The organization represents the thousands of independent oil and natural gas producers and service companies across the United States, the IPAA site adds, noting that America’s independent producers develop 91 percent of the nation’s oil and natural gas wells.

“These companies account for 83 percent of America’s oil production, 90 percent of its natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) production, and support over 4.5 million American jobs,” the site goes on to state.

In a release posted on its site on November 4, the IPAA revealed that Hillebrand, IPAA Regional Director for Pennsylvania at the time, would become IPAA Chairman in January. It also revealed that Justin Cope, President & CEO of Flywheel Energy LLC, would remain in his role as Vice Chairman of IPAA.

In that release, the IPAA highlighted that Jonny Heins, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, Permian Resources, and Cye Cooper Wagner, Executive Vice President of Exploration, Cooper Oil & Gas Inc, were named at-large directors. The IPAA also revealed in the release that Matthew White, Vice President of Accounting and Commercial, Burk Royalty Co Ltd, was named Regional Director – North Texas, and that Kate Farr, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Occidental Petroleum, was named Chair of the IPAA Land & Royalty Committee.

That release also pointed out that Andrew Vecera, Director of Advocacy Services, Ryan LLC, was named Chair of the IPAA Tax Committee.

To contact the author, email [email protected]

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