HOUSTON, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Former U.S. Commerce Secretaryand energy executive Don Evans will chair a partnership of topenergy companies that have pledged $100 million toward easingthe civic strain of the shale oil and gas boom in West Texas andNew Mexico, the group said on Thursday.
The Permian Strategic Partnership was formed late last yearto ease the strain on health care, education, housing and theworkforce created by companies flocking to the Permian Basin.Its 19 members include Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips, Occidental Petroleum Corp, Pioneer NaturalResources and Royal Dutch Shell PLC.
The nation's largest oil field is expected to pump 3.8million barrels of oil per day (bpd) this month, according tothe U.S. Energy Information Administration.
Evans, who started his career working on a rig for Tom BrownInc and eventually became its chief executive, served ascommerce secretary during the administration of former PresidentGeorge W. Bush. He is a longtime resident of Midland, Texas,where the partnership will be based.
Restaurants, local governments and other employers in thearea have come under pressure with staff leaving for oilfieldjobs. Midland's unemployment rate was 2.1 percent in October,compared to the nation's 3.7 percent rate.
The last decade's shale boom has led to school overcrowding,soaring traffic fatalities, drug abuse and strains on the powergrid.
The region needs more pediatricians, better schools andaffordable housing to attract families, Evans said. While oiland gas workers can afford rising rents, "it's the teachers andnurses and other support services that you need in any communitythat it's tough on," he added.
The partnership has started holding community meetings inthe region and is still recruiting staff. It has no timetable orplan yet on how to spend the initial $100 million contribution,though Evans said the group is set up to receive and considergrant applications.(Reporting by Jennifer Hiller; editing by Phil Berlowitz andRichard Chang)
