The newly-minted head of a Texas oil and gas commission said her focus over the next five years was to lower the economic burden for the industry. Christi Craddick was elected to a six-year term as the chairperson of the Railroad Commission of Texas, the state agency that oversees the fossil fuel industry in the state. Texas is the No. 1 oil producer in the nation and lower crude oil prices had put strains on the state’s economy, with some energy companies leaving the Houston area as the downturn dragged on this year. Craddick, a veteran of the commission, said as recently as September, however, there were signs of recovery on the horizon, with the Permian shale basin in particular showing signs of strength even as pressure in the broader sector remains. Nevertheless, a survey of business activity from the Federal Reserve Bank […]