Thursday, October 10, 2024

The happening at GHPB’s Monthly Commerce Club Luncheon – October 10, 2024!

 Happy Thursday!  We attended Greater Houston Port Bureau (GHPB) Commerce Club Luncheon at the Houston Marriot South at Hobby Airport today.

The speaker was Dr. Dawn Buckingham who is a Commissioner at the General Land Office.  She spoke of the duties of the Texas General Land Office (GLO), which include the 13 million acres of land, and 10.3 miles off the coast of Texas is the territory they are the keepers of.  Texas is unlike other states who are mostly owned by the U.S. Government; Texas or private owners own the state.  They are in charge of Texas’ mineral and leasing rights with the some of the money they fund the Permanent School Fund which helps with the education of Texas children; they help Texas armed forces veterans which includes their cemetery and senior centers.  Another duty is Texas GLO helps maintain our coast line and helps with recovery after hurricanes and other storms and disasters.  The GLO helps Texans!

Dr. Buckingham spoke of the exciting changes at the Alamo.  The GLO helped with funding for the collection center including attaining or borrowing artifacts from those abroad.  Approximately six months ago a children’s center broke ground which is expected to help educate our children.  The Alamo is currently looking into renovating the roof which is over 100 years old and the renovation is expected to take 6 months to a year to do.  They will be building an enclosure to protect the Alamo while roof is being redone.  The Alamo complex will also be renovating the statute in front of it.  The wax museum across from the Alamo complex will in time become a 100,000 sq. ft. museum.

Dr. Buckingham briefly spoke of the agreement the GLO has with ExxonMobil for them leasing offshore territory for carbon capture sequestration, and how the lease will benefit the Permanent School Fund.  She did bring up one important question who owns the rights to lease or sell space for carbon sequestration the owner of the mineral rights or the owner of the land?  I guess as more people get involved with this we will soon find out.   Dr. Buckingham spoke of many things happening at the GLO.    

Thank you, Dr. Buckingham!  You are an interesting and informative speaker, and we wish you much success!

As you see the speakers at the GHPB’s Commerce Club Luncheons bring an informative talk to all that attend.  The next Commerce Club Luncheon is November 14, 2024, at 11 a.m.  The speaker will be Colonel Rhett Blackmon of the U.S. Army Corps Engineers (USACE)- Galveston District.  We hope to see you there!  Please check out the website, if you would like to learn more.  November 2024 Commerce Club Luncheon - Greater Houston Port Bureau (txgulf.org).

If you need help with planning your next liquids project in this low carbon world, contact us via the email in the blog and check out our ESC website!

We hope you have a great and productive week!