Oh, to have been a fly on the wall at last week’s oil and gas shindig in Okla., hosted by Continental Resources CEO Harold Hamm. Held fittingly at the Hamm Institute for American Energy on the OSU campus in Stillwater, the nation’s first American Energy Security Summit welcomed more than 300 visitors, including a who’s who of energy, political, and financial leaders, along with two presidential candidates.

Reese Energy Consulting today congratulates Hamm, who’s organized a grassroot event against a backdrop of historic challenges. Guests found themselves in rare friendly territory these days—no doubt a respite from having to defend their roles in a now vilified industry. While current energy policy and its sweeping effect on national security stood front and center for discussion, LNG and carbon capture underscored the momentum at work powered by none other than the oil and gas industry. As Chevron CEO Mike Wirth put it, a low-carbon transition won’t happen without it, adding “It’s crazy to pretend it’s possible to build a new energy system without leveraging the old one.” Well said.