Left to Rright: Jim Franks, Doug Duke,
Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton,
Malcolm Taylor, Ronnie Martin, Wendy Daboval,
Associate Director for Minerals Revenue Management Lucy Querques Denett, and Acting MMS
Director Thomas R. Kitsos
Mr. Martin, Ms. Daboval, Mr. Duke, Mr. Franks and Mr. Taylor
have been tremendous assets to their company and the MMS. Their assistance has been
instrumental in MMS and Texaco reaching agreement on contentious issues for offshore
leases and developing contemporaneous valuation and compliance processes for both Texaco
and MMS.
Rather than pursue litigation and conflict with MMS over
valuation rules, this group worked collaboratively with MMS to reach accord and
understanding on methods that provide the royalty payments that MMS would expect under the
new oil rule and existing gas rules but uses methodologies that accommodate Texaco’s
business practices. This collaborative process also enhanced MMS’ ability to achieve
its stretch goals for completing compliance processes.
Their open and honest approach to this issue as well as
willingness to accept MMS recommended revisions to Texaco’s practices, enabled
resolution of valuation issues. In addition, their efforts helped to establish a more
effective working relationship with MMS and their company which has saved both the
administrative costs associated with litigation and audit as well as other costs
associated with potential underpaid royalties.
As a partner in the MRM reengineering effort, they have
worked very closely with MRM’s Offshore Operational Model team. They have helped the
team to understand and utilize market data in establishing a fair market value for oil and
to understand how industry packages and markets gas production to maximize benefits. They
have worked tirelessly to support the Departments Strategic Petroleum Reserve project by
reviewing delivery information and providing pipeline data to the MRM.
For these reasons we believe Mr. Martin, Ms. Daboval, Mr.
Duke, Mr. Franks and Mr. Taylor are deserving of recognition by receiving the MMS
Corporate Leadership Award.
