WCTA Breakfast: Is Natural Gas Really a Big Deal in Washington?

Posted on by Tom Ranken

Featuring Kirt Montague (Plum Energy), Andy Douglas (Paccar), Dan Kovacich (Maxum Petroleum), Jesse Saldivar (Shell Oil Company), and Clay Riding (Puget Sound Energy) | May 15 | Sponsored by Kane Environmental | SOLD OUT!

  • NEW LOCATION:  Washington State Housing Finance Commission, 1000 Second Avenue, Suite 2800, Seattle
  • TIME:  Doors open/Networking at 7 a.m.  The program will run from 730-900 a.m.  Networking until 10 a.m.

Moderator: Kirt Montague is the CEO of Plum Energy LLC, a Washington-based company focused on the development of small-scale LNG value chains in the industrial and transportation markets.  He also is an Operating Partner for EverStream Energy Capital Management LLC, which invests primarily in energy related infrastructure, including LNG and CNG equipment necessary to facilitate the increased use of natural gas.  Previously, he was the CEO and a Board Member of Prometheus Energy Group, Inc., a vertically integrated energy company he founded in 2003 and led through the sale of a majority equity interest to the Shell Technology Venture Fund in October, 2010.  He is the current Chair of the Washington Clean Technology Alliance, and also serves on the Boards of three private companies in the space.

Andrew Douglas is the National Sales Manager for Kenworth Truck Company, a division of PACCAR Inc.  During his 30 year career in the transportation business, he has held numerous positions within PACCAR and its divisions including Kenworth, PACCAR Financial, and PacLease that included both domestic and International assignments.  For the past  eight years, Mr. Douglas has lead Kenworth’s “Green Initiatives” covering the growing markets for hybrid and Natural Gas products and  has worked directly with the Ports of Los Angles, Long Beach, Oakland and Seattle on clean truck strategies.  Mr. Douglas holds degrees in finance and economics and a Masters of Business Administration.  See Andy’s presentation here.

Dan Kovacich is Vice President at Maxum Petroleum responsible for the Marine Division & Rainier Petroleum Corporation.  He has 20 years of experience in the maritime trades on the US West Coast and is the sole fuel supplier to the Washington State Ferries.  As the result of a fuel risk management program developed by Kovacich over two years, the WSF operated below their fuel budget for the first time in 2012.  Maxum Petroleum continues to surpass the environmental, health and safety standards established for transferring fuel and lubricants over the water.  He received his graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Washington.

Jesse Saldivar is Business Manager, LNG for Transportation, Shell Upstream Americas.  He is responsible for the development of LNG Projects in the Transportation Sector.  He leads a cross functional team to deliver an end to end solution for customers including supply development, transportation and commercial development across all transportation sectors.  His career at Shell has provided him the opportunity to work on both the US East and West Coasts as well as overseas.  In addition to his global experience, he has worked in both Upstream and Downstream.  He is now located in Texas along with his wife and two children. Saldivar is a graduate of the University of Houston.

Clay Riding is Director of Natural Gas Resources for Puget Sound Energy.  He is responsible for PSE’s LNG initiative to build a regional scale LNG facility and expand the use of natural gas as a fuel for marine vessels and transportation markets.  Since returning to PSE in 2007, he has been responsible for the acquisition of long-term natural gas supplies, transportation, and storage for the company’s core gas and gas-fired generation portfolios.  He leads natural gas resource project development and oversees operation of the Jackson Prairie Storage Project.  He is also extensively involved in regional and national discussions regarding the growing interdependency of natural gas and electricity.  Mr. Riding has 31 years of experience in energy covering a broad-range of areas including risk management, utility operations management, trading, business development, and marketing.  He has an extensive background in the acquisition and management of energy supply resources, utility and interstate pipeline operations, and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulations.  Over the past 24 years he has been involved in the development of natural gas markets in the west including gas-fired generation.  Mr. Riding spent six years with The Energy Authority, four years with PSE (earlier in his career), and sixteen years with The Williams Companies.  Find Clay’s presentation here.

Reading materials suggested by the speakers: