Kelly Muldoon, J.D., CPL

Leadership Profile

32nd Annual Energy Summit Steering Committee Co-Chair

The Energy Summit is guided by the tireless input of COGA member volunteers who lend their expertise to the planning process – prioritizing content and ensuring the best possible learning experience for our attendees. Steering committee co-chair, Kelly Muldoon, Vice President of Land and Business Development at Ursa Operating Company shares a few thoughts about what to expect at this year’s event.

About Kelly Muldoon

Before Kelly began his career in the Oil & Gas industry, he had a history of government and public service including joining the United States Navy during Desert Storm, working at the Texas Attorney General’s Office and at the Bexar County’s Staff Attorney’s Office.  While attending St. Mary’s University School of Law, Kelly received the President’s Leadership Award for his role as the Founder and President of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Organization.  He also has a history of volunteering with organizations like Habitat for Humanity, the United Way, local food banks, Mental Health organizations and a Civil Justice Legal Clinic. 

It’s fair to say that Kelly has a broad perspective on and experience in the oil and gas industry.  He has worked in Business Development, Acquisitions & Divestitures, Operations & Non-Op, Land Administration, Regulatory and Governmental Relations. He has also worked almost every basin in the lower 48; including Offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. He has taken on these roles at public-traded companies, private equity-backed companies and privately-owned organizations.  He even has experience working at diversely sized companies from the largest (the ExxonMobil Corporation) to some of the smallest (a land brokerage firm of 10 contract landmen) and variously sized companies in-between.  
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Some of the organizations Kelly has joined to promote the beneficial, efficient, responsible, and environmentally sound development, production and use of Colorado oil and natural gases include: Garfield County’s Energy Advisory Board and the Colorado Oil & Gas Association’s: Steering Committee; SB 181 Rulemaking Joint Task Force and Federal Lands Working Group.  Kelly is also actively involved with the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen.  He is both on the Executive Board and a member of the Education Committee.  He also just happens to be the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen’s – 2019 Landman of the Year.

2020 Panelist Profile | Q&A with Kelly

P. Kelly Muldoon is the Vice President of Land and Business Development at Ursa Operating Company II LLC, an exploration and production company focused on acquiring and developing conventional and unconventional oil and gas properties

You’ve been involved with the conference for the last 2 years. What do you like most about the planning process?

I truly enjoyed working with the members of COGA and the Steering Committee to identify and present topics that would be of interest and benefit to the Oil and Gas industry here in Colorado. We worked as a team greater than the sum of its parts, by seizing the opportunity – having distinctly different backgrounds and personalities -- provided.  We all had the same goals in mind, which made corroboration seem to come completely naturally.   

What are you most excited about / looking forward to?

Our industry is not just in transition; it’s in upheaval.  In such times, it helps to have a broader perspective.  Therefore, I’m looking forward to facilitating the presentation of various perspectives on the issues that are most relevant to the Oil & Gas industry as a whole and specifically on the issues that are unique to (or at least amplified in) Colorado.  

Looking at the sessions we have lined up this year, which one are you most looking forward to and why?

It’s a tie between two agenda items:  Meet the COGCC and Public Messaging; because they both focus on something of which the Oil & Gas industry has done a poor job – effectively communicating.  Communication as it relates to Public Messaging is something, we all understand needs to improve.  What I think is less obvious, to many in our industry, is the need and benefit to communicate early and often with regulatory agencies.  Communication is the first step required for understanding, but communication needs to flow to and from all parties, for true understanding to be achieved. 
 
Saying something isn’t communicating. … Saying something and that something being understood is communicating. … And saying something and that something being understood, as to what the speaker intended, is effectively communicating. … Don’t just communicate, communicate effectively!

What is the best advice you can give to the next generation of industry leaders?

• Why is it vital that young energy professionals attend The Energy Summit?

I’ll address your second question first.  It’s vital that young energy professionals attend The Energy Summit for two main reasons:  (1) to gain new and various perspectives on issues that will be affecting our industry for years to come and (2) to network with others from other companies and in other fields with other experiences.  
 
As for your second question, the best advice I can give the next generation of industry leaders is:  make a difference by getting involved, by participating. Currently, in Colorado, there is an opportunity to influence perspectives and, hopefully, policy.  This opportunity, to this extent at least, may never come again.
 
I advise the next generation of industry leaders to step outside of the comfort-zone of their day-to-day routine and to get involved with the Colorado Oil & Gas Association, the West Slope Colorado Oil & Gas Association, the Colorado Petroleum Council, the American Petroleum Institute, the Independent Petroleum Association of America, the Small Operator Society, the American Association of Professional Landmen, the Denver Association of Petroleum Landmen or other organizations.  I advise them to participate in discussions on policy, at rallies that save jobs, in public hearings either in person or in writing; just find a way to participate.  Just as importantly, I advise them to appreciate that participating isn’t just participating with your “actions”; it also involves participating with your mind.  Before you “act”, before you can communicate effectively, you need to be informed as to the issues and concerns that all sides have.  Many of the problems facing our society and our industry today are because people do not communicate effectively, which leads to misunderstandings, uniformed decisions, counterproductive actions and divisiveness.

For attendee’s coming to the conference from out of town, what is your favorite downtown Denver restaurant? 

I’m from Texas, so I’m a classic steakhouse kind of guy – Elway’s.

Any great books or binge-worthy shows to recommend?

I’m not sure if this is technically a “binge-worthy” show, but my favorite show currently in syndication is This Is Us.  For those who haven’t seen it, I’d describe it as:  an hour-long t. v. show based on Jim Valvano’s speech (as recipient of the 1993 Arthur Ashe Courage Award) at the ESPYs – you’ll laugh, you’ll think, and you’ll cry; you’ll have a full day. The first episode will get you hooked; it’s simply the best “first episode” of any television show I have ever seen.  

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