President-elect Trump names picks for top energy roles
Chris Wright, CEO of energy services firm Liberty Energy, has been picked by US President-elect Donald Trump to be Secretary of Energy in his incoming administration, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to be Secretary of the Interior. Burgum is also to chair a newly formed cross-cutting National Energy Council.
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Self-described tech nerd-turned-entrepreneur Wright is the founder of Colorado-headquartered Liberty Energy, which offers "one of the most innovative suites of completion services and technologies to onshore oil and natural gas exploration and production companies" in North America. Liberty was founded in 2011. He also sits on the Board of Directors of next-generation small modular nuclear reactor company Oklo Inc.
Trump said in a statement on his appointee: "Chris was one of the pioneers who helped launch the American Shale Revolution that fuelled American Energy Independence, and transformed the Global Energy Markets and Geopolitics.
"As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace."
Described in the media as a "climate change sceptic", Wright says of himself on LinkedIn: "I am all in on energy from my start in nuclear, solar, and geothermal to my current efforts in oil and gas and next generation geothermal. I don't care where energy comes from, as long as it is secure, reliable, affordable and betters human lives."
Trump's nomination of Wright as energy secretary will require Senate approval, as will Burgum's appointment as Secretary of the Interior.
New council
As well as heading the US Department of the Interior, which protects and manages the USA's natural resources and plays a central role in the stewardship of public lands, amongst other things, Burgum will chair the "newly formed, and very important" National Energy Council, Trump said in a statement shared on social media. It will consist of "all Departments and Agencies involved in the permitting, production, generation, distribution, regulation, transportation of all forms of American Energy".
"This Council will oversee the path to US energy dominance by cutting red tape, enhancing private sector investments across all sectors of the Economy, and by focusing on innovation over longstanding, but totally unnecessary, regulation," Trump said.
Trump also said the incoming administration intends to "dramatically" increase baseload power, without giving details of how that might be achieved.
The new administration will take office on 20 January, when Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the 47th President of the USA.
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