05/18/2026
Interesting article and, regardless of politics, it highlights a reality many of us in New Mexico’s oil and gas industry have understood for decades:
The state’s economy and budget remain deeply tied to oil and gas development.
Having spent nearly 50 years in the industry — including field operations, regulatory work inside OCD, and consulting — I’ve seen firsthand how dramatically industry activity impacts state revenues, local economies, jobs, schools, infrastructure, and government programs.
That’s exactly why periods of strong revenue should be viewed carefully and strategically.
Commodity cycles are temporary. Oil prices rise and fall. Activity rises and falls. History has proven that repeatedly.
One area where some of these windfall revenues could provide long-term value would be strengthening the efficiency and technical capacity of our regulatory agencies, particularly the OCD:
reducing permitting backlogs,
modernizing systems,
improving consistency,
and retaining experienced technical personnel.
Efficient regulation benefits everyone:
industry, mineral owners, communities, and the state itself.
Good governance is not anti-industry or pro-industry. It is about maintaining a professional, functional regulatory system capable of handling the workload responsibly and predictably.
New Mexico has benefited enormously from the Permian Basin. The challenge now is making wise long-term decisions while recognizing the cyclical nature of the business that funds so much of the state budget.
A well-functioning regulatory system protects the public while also allowing responsible development to move forward in a predictable and professional manner.
That should not be a partisan idea.
https://pinonpost.com/ap-report-accidentally-proves-conservatives-right-about-nm-oil/
