If you’ve been out to dinner, drinks, or hung out with friends over the last couple of years, there’s a good chance you’ve been in more than one conversation about the state of the energy business in Acadiana.

Here at Out to Lunch we’ve talked about it a lot too. And we’ve finally come up with a great idea. What if we talked to people about the energy business who actually know what they’re talking about?

Rick Richard is Chairman of CleanFuel USA, an alternative motor fuel company based in Georgetown, Texas, and President of Empire of the Seed Consultants – consulting on energy projects in Southwest Louisiana and the nation at large. Previously, Rick was Chairman, President, and CEO of Columbia Energy Group   – a $7 billion Fortune 500 Company. In Washington DC, Rick was a legislative assistant for energy issues to U.S. Senator Bennett Johnston, and was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as Commissioner of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Rick is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal from the U.S. Secretary of Energy for his role in creating economic opportunities in natural gas markets.  And he lives in Lake Charles.

Jason French is the Senior Director for Government and Public Affairs at Cheniere Energy. Cheniere is a Houston-based energy company primarily engaged in LNG-related businesses. In Louisiana Cheniere owns and operates the Sabine Pass LNG terminal, and Creole Trail Pipeline, and between here and Texas they have around 900 full time employees. 

This conversation about the current and future state of the Acadiana energy industry is guaranteed to surprise you, in a good way.

Photos at Cafe Vermilionville by Gwen Aucoin.