T. BOONE PICKENS TO HEADLINE ENERGY EXPO IN BISMARCK
Pickens says North Dakota can play a large role in energy independence for America
Thursday, August 7, 2008
CONTACT: Justin Kitsch
or Brenden Timpe
PHONE: 202-224-2551
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) today announced that Texas oil developer and wind energy advocate T. Boone Pickens will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming 2008 Great Plains Energy Expo and Showcase. The event will be held November 10th and 11th at the Bismarck Civic Center. Pickens is scheduled to speak at 1:30 p.m. on November 10th.
“T. Boone Pickens is a well-known advocate when it comes to promoting ways to make America energy independent,” Senator Dorgan said. “I’m pleased to announce that he will be a keynote speaker at the second annual Great Plains Energy Expo we are organizing for November 10th in Bismarck.”
The Energy Expo that Dorgan first held a year ago is designed to bring together all of the energy interests in North Dakota to discuss opportunities and challenges.
“North Dakota will play a central role in America’s effort to become independent of foreign oil,” said Dorgan.
Pickens has recently announced a strategy called “the Pickens Plan” aimed at helping America wean itself off of its dependence on foreign energy. The proposal emphasizes a dramatic increase in wind energy for electricity generation and use of natural gas and biofuels in the transportation sector. Pickens has purchased television air time across the country to promote this plan.
Pickens has called for utilizing North Dakota’s wind resources for renewable electricity generation. He has pointed out that North Dakota has the potential to produce more than 25 percent of the nation’s energy just from the wind.
More information on “the Pickens Plan” can be found on the Web by visiting http://www.pickensplan.com.
Pickens has spent most of his life surrounded by the energy industry. His father was an oil and mineral land man. Shortly after graduating from Oklahoma State University with a degree in geology, he worked for Phillips Petroleum Co. A few years later, Pickens formed Mesa Petroleum, a successful oil and gas production company. He now is the founder and chairman of BP Capital Management, a successful energy investment company.
The Great Plains Energy Expo and Showcase is a collaborative effort between Senator Dorgan, Bismarck State College and engineering firm Kadrmas, Lee and Jackson. The event will feature exhibitors, speakers and workshops by energy industry leaders. Keynote presenters and exhibitor showcases are open to the public.
Registration for workshops and more information about the event can be found on the Web by visiting http://www.bismarckstate.edu/gpee.
The Great Plains Energy Expo and Showcase is a part of Senator Dorgan’s “Great Plains Energy Corridor” initiative, aimed at bolstering energy production in the Upper Great Plains to help reduce America’s dependence on foreign energy.
—END—