BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. (WV News) — State and local officials turned out Friday morning to help open Next LVL Energy’s new facility in Bridgeport.
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The company, a subsidiary of Diversified Energy that’s focused on oil and gas well retirement services, is expected to support more than 100 jobs.
Gov. Jim Justice, Secretary of State Mac Warner and Attorney General Patrick Morrisey participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony, along with local mayors, county commissioners and members of the business community.
“This company, in an expeditious way, will give us goodness within our state,” Justice said.
The Bridgeport facility will serve as the base of operations for the company’s well-plugging efforts, as well as an employee training facility.
“West Virginia has always, and always will be, the core of everything we do at this company,” said Diversified Energy co-founder and CEO Rusty Hutson Jr. “As long as I’m CEO, West Virginia is where the money will go.”
Hutson, a Lumberport native, said Next LVL Energy has grown to become “probably one of the biggest plugging companies in Appalachia” since it was founded more than 20 years ago.
“We’re going to be doing something that nobody else does — not only producing gas and oil, but also retirement of wells in a very environmentally friendly fashion,” he said.
Brad Grey, chief operating officer with Diversified Energy, said the company is equipped to handle every stage of the well retirement process.
“We’re a fully outfitted, full-service plugging company for the Appalachian basin,” he said. “These are great-paying jobs that we are offering to the citizens here in this area and throughout this area. We have a tremendous amount of work.”
The company has contracts with the state and federal governments, as well as with local independent operators, Maddox said.
“There are decades of worth of work available,” he said.