IADC recently organized a fly-in event to Washington, D.C., during the week of 18 September. A group of IADC Members and personnel traveled to Capitol Hill to represent the drilling industry while having important discussions with key legislators. Throughout Tuesday and Wednesday of that week, the IADC group met with 21 members of Congress and their staff to discuss the current state of the industry and to recognize them with the IADC Legislator Award. The Legislator Award is presented to members of the United States Congress who consistently support the drilling industry through their votes, co-sponsorship of legislation, signing of relevant letters, and willingness to meet with members of the drilling community to gain a better understanding of their businesses.
According to Joe Lillis, IADC’s VP of Policy who organized the 2023 fly-in and has a professional background working in congressional offices:
“Washington, D.C., Fly-Ins allow IADC Members to provide their drilling industry perspectives directly to Representatives and Senators. The legislators we met with were very receptive to hearing the views of our Members and appreciated hearing the personal stories and situations of drilling contractors and service companies. These meetings impact IADC’s advocacy goals by giving the drilling industry a seat at the table – by having these honest and open discussions, we’re able to tell our story and provide guidance and expertise to members of Congress. IADC Members are the subject matter experts; when these legislators are in the middle of drafting laws, we want them to know they can call on the knowledge and experience of our Members and work together to write common-sense legislation that will have a positive impact on the industry.”
The following members of Congress received the 2023 IADC Legislator Award:
| Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) | Representative Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) |
| Senator Katie Britt (R-AL) | Representative Harriet Hageman (R-WY) |
| Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) | Representative Wesley Hunt (R-TX) |
| Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) | Representative Bill Johnson (R-OH) |
| Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) | Representative Gary Palmer (R-AL) |
| Representative Kelly Armstrong (R-ND) | Representative August Pfluger (R-TX) |
| Representative Stephanie Bice (R-OK) | Representative Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) |
| Representative Jim Costa (D-CA) | Representative Bruce Westerman (R-AR) |
| Representative John Curtis (R-UT) | Representative Roger Williams (R-TX) |
| Representative Jeff Duncan (R-SC) | Representative Ryan Zinke (R-MT) |
| Representative Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX) | |
Participating IADC Member companies included:
- Enterprise Offshore Drilling
- Kenai Drilling
- Latshaw Drilling
- Noble Corporation
- Norton Energy Drilling
- Precision Drilling
- Smith Mason & Co
- Transocean
- Unit Drilling Company
- Valaris
Chris Menefee, IADC Executive Committee Member and President of Unit Drilling Co., shared his perspectives on participating in the fly-in:
“Participating in the IADC’s advocacy efforts is important to me personally and professionally. I am proud to tell our story, ensuring those who make policy understand how hard we work to protect our employees and the environment in which we operate. We are a far more advanced industry than most of the general population might give us credit for. Lawmakers must understand the oil and gas industry is not a short-term solution to energy independence. Without oil and gas, our fundamental way of life is not sustainable with renewables alone, nor the ability to defend our nation and its allies in times of crisis. Both Democrats and Republicans we met seem to understand our concerns and are willing to create long-term solutions, utilizing all sources of American energy to fuel our growing economy.”
The group also met with Tommy Beaudreau, Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior, and Kevin Sligh, Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. While in D.C., the IADC group had the opportunity to attend a Washington Nationals baseball game.
The Washington, D.C., fly-in event is one of the many ways IADC helps shape policy and legislation that is both fair and sensible. This can be achieved by communicating with regulators to improve regulatory practices and proactively educating regulatory and legislative bodies. IADC serves as a unified voice for the global drilling industry, facilitating impactful advocacy across the growing number of countries where drilling operations take place.
