BATON ROUGE, LA (September 26, 2019) —The Louisiana Oil and Gas Association (LOGA) and the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association (LMOGA) issued the following statements in response to the announcement of an oil and gas lawsuit update:

"This is just the latest chapter in the trial lawyers' playbook to shakedown Louisiana oil and gas companies for legally conducting production activities, which were encouraged by state incentives and carried out under rigorous state and federal regulations many decades ago."

"This misguided effort to go back in time and rewrite history amounts to an all-out legal attack on the entire regulatory framework through which oil and gas operations have been conducted for nearly a century. Regardless of how one company may choose to handle their case, LOGA, LMOGA and our members remain confident these claims will not stand up in federal court."

"Unfortunately, while this divisive litigation drags on— potentially for decades— the uncertainty and unpredictability created by it will continue to drive jobs, workers, families, and investments away from Louisiana. For example, Lafayette and Houma, two communities that once thrived in the energy sector, are now suffering some of the largest job losses in the nation. Many factors influence investment decisions, including the price of oil, but there's no question the increased litigation risk created by these meritless lawsuits is having a major impact. Enough is enough."

"Litigation has been ongoing for years and is nowhere close to resolution. At the same time, this litigation threatens the future of the oil and gas industry in Louisiana, which has been a critical driver of job creation, tax revenue, and economic growth in the state. Revenues generated by oil and gas production also provide more than 30 percent of the state's funding for coastal restoration and hurricane protection projects."

"Rather than supporting these trial lawyer-invented permit lawsuits, state and local officials should be working with industry to support oil and gas production, which will create much-needed jobs and generate even more funding for our coast.”

About LMOGA

Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, founded in 1923, is a trade association exclusively representing all sectors of the oil and gas industry operating in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico.  LMOGA serves exploration and production, refining, transportation, marketing and mid-stream companies as well as other firms in the fields of law, engineering, environment, financing and government relations. LMOGA’s mission is to promote and represent the oil and gas industry operating in Louisiana and the Gulf of Mexico by extending representation of our members in the Louisiana Legislature, state and federal regulatory agencies, the Louisiana congressional delegation, the media and the general public.

About LOGA

The Louisiana Oil & Gas Association was organized in 1992 to represent the Independent and service sectors of the oil and gas industry in Louisiana; this representation includes exploration, production and oilfield services. LOGA’s primary goal is to provide our industry with a working environment that will enhance the industry. LOGA services its membership by creating incentives for Louisiana’s oil & gas industry, warding off tax increases, changing existing burdensome regulations, and educating the public and government of the importance of the oil and gas industry in the state of Louisiana. Find out more information at:http://www.loga.la