Page 35 - ATR 2 2012 web 2

your mother and I are worried. We fear fractures in it that could be connected Pickens says virtually every country
that we not only have a fool for a son through hydraulic fracturing and of in the world has an energy policy—
but a son who has no plan.’” course, that is a big deal in Arkansas. except the United States. No president
The elder Pickens laid down the We have more natural gas than any has succeeded in getting one through
law—change to a geology major and get other country in the world,” he said Congress—and Pickens says many presi-
a degree by June of 1951. That was less emphatically. dents never even asked for an energy
than two years away. “The next day I Pickens got up to answer a phone policy.
went over and switched everything to call. So Jay Rosser, his public affairs
geology,” he says. “I asked the guy who person at BP Capital, filled in, explain-
was the dean at the school of geology ing that The Pickens Plan “actually had
if I could get out of school by June of two parts originally,” he explains. “It
‘51 and he said ‘well if you carry two was renewable energy which is power
18-hour semesters and a 19 in summer generation and then the transportation “My dad said ‘you know
school, you can do it.’ And I said sign side which removes our dependency on
me up. And that’s what I did. And I foreign oil. a fool with a plan
graduated.” “What people don’t realize,” Rosser
Of course, much has been written continues, “is that if you really want to will beat a genius with
about Pickens’ business career. Many tackle the OPEC issue—and the national
analysts credit Pickens and his company and economic security that goes with no plan every time.
Mesa Petroleum for overhauling much it—you have to go after the transporta-
of the oil industry and even corporate tion industry. It is the only way you But your mother and
America. can do it. People always ask, ‘Boone,
So we fast forwarded past what why don’t you go after the passenger I are worried. We fear
continues to be a legendary business vehicle?’ But it’s the trucks that are the
career, someone who continues to make big users.” that we not only have
a big impression on corporate America, Pickens returned to the table. “To
to the present and The Pickens Plan, get into this thing I decided I needed to a fool for a son but a
and what it all means to the future of go into renewables, which is wind,” he
America. continued. “Most landowners like the son who has no plan.’”
royalties from those turbines. But then
THE plaN wind won’t work because wind power
At the heart of The Pickens Plan for is priced off the margin and natural
America is converting from petroleum gas is at $2.50 so you can’t finance a
to natural gas—the same stuff we use to wind deal until natural gas is $6.” So I asked Pickens which presidents he
cook food in kitchens everywhere. He’s wind energy, while still an alternative to has personally known. “I’ve met with
had gas wells a plenty over the years. petroleum, is not now the highest prior- every president personally since George
But the real find in natural gas now ity. Natural gas is.” Washington,” he answered without
is the ability to extract it from places smiling.
never thought possible. prESIdENTS Shuffling in his chair he said, “I
“Now we are able to recover more Pickens isn’t shy about his past met with President Obama in Reno,
gas from the source rock, like shale,” involvement in presidential campaigns, Nevada. He wanted to know my views
he says. “This geologist never believed notably the 2004 election between on energy and there were only three of
you would be able to get natural gas President George Bush and U.S. Senator us there and the president asked me if
out of that. John Kerry (D-Mass.). He offers up that he could take notes which he did. David
“You knew it was there because he had a big role in the outcome, having Axelrod was there with him and David
you could drill a well and have a financed the controversial “Swift Boat” and I have gotten to know each other
gas sniffer on there and all the way commercials that questioned Kerry’s really well. He’s a good guy.
through the shale it was bing—bing— military service and patriotism. “And President Obama asked ‘do I
bing until you just cut it off. I mean we But he seems to have now backed say anything about energy that makes
were drilling gas but it was four per- away from actively engaging in politics, you uncomfortable?’
cent porosity and looked like this table telling people he will remain on the side- “I said you say one thing that
top under a microscope and didn’t have lines to focus on promoting a bipartisan makes me laugh. He looked at me seri-
any permeability in it. effort to convince Congress to make the
“But then we found out there were United States energy independent. 

ArkAnSAS trucking report | issue 2 2012 35