Louisiana Energy Awards Spotlight Oil & Gas. Getty image of refinery.
NEW ORLEANS – With federal and state policy increasingly positioning oil and gas at the center of the energy sector, 10/12 Energy Report is reflecting that shift with the launch of its Louisiana Energy Awards. The Nov. 5 ceremony at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel in Baton Rouge will honor companies, executives, and projects in the
NEW ORLEANS – With federal and state policy increasingly positioning oil and gas at the center of the energy sector, 10/12 Energy Report is reflecting that shift with the launch of its Louisiana Energy Awards. The Nov. 5 ceremony at L’Auberge Casino & Hotel in Baton Rouge will honor companies, executives, and projects in the oil and gas, carbon capture, and hydrogen sectors.
“Louisiana has long powered the nation—and today, it’s also helping define what comes next,” said Julio Melara, CEO of Melara Enterprises, the parent company of 10/12 Industry Report. “This awards program was created to spotlight the bold thinkers and doers at every level of the energy economy.”
Oil and Gas at the Center
Except for Meta—which is building its largest global data center in Richland Parish, with Entergy constructing three new gas-fired turbines to meet its massive energy demand—every company and project recognized through the Louisiana Energy Awards has ties to the oil and gas industry. No honorees come from alternative sectors such as wind, solar, hydro, geothermal, or nuclear power. Those considered “greener,” such as carbon capture and hydrogen, remain rooted in fossil fuels.
In Louisiana, carbon capture projects are almost entirely designed to capture CO₂ from refineries, LNG plants, and chemical complexes. While framed as climate solutions, they largely serve to extend the life of oil and gas operations. The state’s emerging “hydrogen economy” is also dominated by natural-gas-based “blue” hydrogen paired with carbon capture.
Louisiana recently joined Indiana, Ohio, and Tennessee in redefining natural gas as “green energy,” with Governor Jeff Landry signing Act 462 into law in June. “This bill sets the tone for the future and will help the state pursue energy independence and dominance,” Landry said.
The classification of natural gas as “green energy” reinforces the central role of Louisiana’s oil and gas sector. A 2025 economic impact study commissioned by the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association (LMOGA) found that oil and gas accounts for 25% of state GDP—about $77.7 billion—supports more than 300,000 jobs, and generates over $3.4 billion in state and local revenues. Louisiana’s refineries process nearly 3 million barrels of oil per day, and its LNG terminals handle 61% of U.S. exports. In 2023 alone, the industry paid out nearly $26 billion in wages and directly or indirectly supported nearly 350,000 jobs. These figures underscore how deeply entwined the fossil fuel economy is with Louisiana’s fiscal health and livelihoods.
But critics warn that Louisiana’s law could divert funds intended for clean energy into fossil fuel projects, calling it part of a broader Republican pushback against renewable energy. Jeffrey Clark, president of the Advanced Power Alliance, called the new law “blind to innovation, market evolution, and the practical demands of modern electric systems” in a report by AP News.
In Louisiana, this approach also abandons the state’s previous “all of the above” strategy at a moment when data centers like Meta’s in Richland Parish are driving unprecedented energy demand.
That shift is already having tangible consequences in Louisiana. Solar installer PosiGen has announced 166 layoffs in St. Charles and Jefferson parishes and warned that another 92 employees could lose their jobs within weeks. The company is shutting down most of its operations after financial troubles linked to the rollback of federal solar tax credits, a change that has left both investors and workers reeling from the Trump administration’s actions.
“As the president’s unwarranted punitive actions against the American renewable energy industry continues, we are ceding global high-tech manufacturing leadership to China, which in 2024 alone, manufactured and installed a record of 277 GW of new solar capacity and 80 GW of wind energy,” said Troy von Otnott, CEO of HotRok Energy.
Drone Point View of Solar and Thermal Panels in China - Getty image. Louisiana Energy Awards Spotlight Oil & Gas
According to von Otnott, the U.S. installed only around 20% of the amount China installed and most of the renewable components used were manufactured in China. “It’s time to reverse course and create a Cleantech manufacturing revolution in America or let China continue to eat our proverbial lunch,” said von Otnott.
Against this backdrop of political and policy battles over the future of energy, the Louisiana Energy Awards will spotlight leaders and organizations driving Louisiana’s hydrocarbon industries.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Turner Industries Chairman Emeritus Roland Toups will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his leadership in Louisiana’s energy and industrial sectors. Turner Industries is one of the nation’s largest industrial contractors, building and maintaining the refineries, chemical plants, LNG facilities, and power sites that underpin Louisiana’s oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. Toups began his career in 1968 as an engineer hired by Turner Industries Founder Bert Turner. He went on to help transform a small construction company into a multibillion-dollar industrial contractor with more than 20,000 employees serving clients nationwide.
Community Philanthropy Award
The Danos Foundation will receive a Louisiana Energy Award for philanthropic impact. Through its Danos GIVES and Danos WORKS programs, the foundation has directed more than $1.4 million to nonprofits across Louisiana, supporting education, disaster relief, community initiatives, and employee volunteerism. Danos, a family-owned oilfield services company with long-standing ties to offshore oil and gas, is diversifying its activities but remains fundamentally anchored in the hydrocarbon sector.
5 Other Award Categories
The Louisiana Energy Awards will also recognize finalists in five additional categories: Energy Deal of the Year, Small and Large Energy Company of the Year, Emerging Energy Leader, and Energy Executive of the Year. Finalists span multibillion-dollar projects and industry leaders:
Energy Deal of the Year – Contenders include Meta’s $10 billion north Louisiana data center, Heirloom’s carbon-capture partnership with United Airlines Ventures at the Port of Caddo-Bossier, and Woodside Energy’s $18.7 billion acquisition of Tellurian’s Driftwood LNG project in Calcasieu Parish.
Small/Mid-Sized Company of the Year – Finalists are Placid Refining, Orion Engineers & Constructors, and Loadstar, while large-company contenders include ExxonMobil, Cheniere Energy, and Entergy Louisiana.
Emerging Energy Leader – Nominees are Camile Ivy-O’Donnell of Chevron, West Baton Rouge Chamber director Anna Johnson, and CodeGig founder Kellen Francis.
Energy Executive of the Year – Finalists are Entergy CEO Phillip May, Greater Lafourche Port Commission executive director Chett Chaisson, and Danos CEO Paul Danos.
Winners in these categories will be announced live at the Nov. 5 event, following a formal dinner and multimedia presentation. All honorees will also be featured in the fall edition of 10/12 Industry Report.
