Commissioner of Conservation Richard Ieyoub, Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, on Talk Louisiana August 25, 2022
When gas prices soared to record highs, several placed blame on the Biden Administration for limiting oil and gas leases. But Louisiana’s Commissioner of Conservation Richard Ieyoub said last year the department issued 563 permits and they project that number will exceed 800 this year.
“So there has been an increase in drilling, an actual increase over the last year, and certainly we’re going to probably grant quite a few more permits as the next year comes up,” said Ieyoub.
As the chief regulator of the oil and gas industry in Louisiana and the oversight of permitting of wells, Ieyoub said it’s an actual increase versus a decline of drilling here in the Bayou State.
“But it looks like it’s increasing, so far as the exploration and production are concerned, at least so far in our jurisdiction,” said Ieyoub.
As commissioner, Ieyoub oversees a budget of $28 million and 170 employees at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and while the agricultural industry is considered the largest as far as people, he said oil and gas revenues are the largest contributors to the state’s budget.
“The oil and gas industry actually generates about a half billion dollars a year in royalties and severance taxes for the state,” said Ieyoub.
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