Greg Reed Elected Chairman of the Alabama Legislature’s Oil and Gas Study Committee

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed (R-Jasper) was elected Chairman of the Alabama Legislature’s Oil and Gas Study Committee on Thursday afternoon. Created by the State Legislature in 1983, the Oil and Gas Study Committee is responsible for keeping track of trends in Alabama’s oil and gas industry. 

According to a study conducted in 2017 by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Alabama’s oil and natural gas industry supports 86,400 jobs and contributes $8.8 billion to the state’s economy.  

The Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives, Victor Gaston, is the immediate past chairman of the Oil and Gas Study Committee. Representative Gaston (R-Mobile) commended Reed’s leadership as he nominated Reed on Thursday to serve as the new chairman. 

“It was my pleasure to recommend Greg Reed as the new chairman. Senator Reed is a serious thinker who understands the vital importance of Alabama’s oil and gas industry, and he has the respect of his peers in the State Legislature, on both sides of the aisle,” Gaston said.

Reed, who has served as a member of the committee since 2013, said he appreciated the years of service that Gaston has contributed as chairman.

“Speaker Pro Tem Gaston has done a tremendous job in leading this committee, and it is a privilege to follow in his footsteps as chairman,” Reed said.

“Alabama is abundant in natural resources, and that includes coal, oil, and natural gas. I am committed to working with state agencies and private companies to ensure that we have a fair, transparent regulatory system in Alabama that results in more jobs for workers, increased economic growth for the state, and lower costs for the consumer,” Reed concluded

Greg Reed is the Alabama Senate Majority Leader and represents Senate District 5, which is comprised of all or parts of Winston, Walker, Tuscaloosa, Jefferson, and Fayette counties.