Romney energy adviser to lobby for top natural gas company

Rebecca Rosen, a lead architect of Mitt Romney’s energy platform in the 2012 election, is joining the big natural gas producer Devon Energy Corp. as a senior lobbyist.

Rosen, who is also a former staffer on the Senate’s energy committee, will lead the Oklahoma-based oil-and-gas company’s Washington, D.C., office as vice president of federal government affairs.

“Devon is actively engaged in the federal energy policy development process, and we are pleased to have Rebecca lead that effort from our Washington office,” said Devon President and CEO John Richels in a statement.

Rosen, according to her new employers, was the lead author of Romney’s blueprint for making North America energy independent by 2020, which the unsuccessful GOP White House hopeful unveiled last August.

The plan called for giving states broad new powers to control energy development on millions of acres of federal lands within their borders, opening areas for offshore drilling that are currently off-limits, and speeding up environmental reviews and project permitting, among other features.

Devon – which has widespread operations in the U.S. and Canada – is among the nation’s largest natural gas producers and has a substantial number of oil projects as well, including production in Texas and Alberta’s oil sands.

“Rebecca has a terrific reputation of building bipartisan coalitions to advance sound public policy. It is exciting to have her vision, strategic thinking and proven ability to deliver results as a member of our Devon team,” said Bill Whitsitt, the company’s executive vice president of public affairs.

Rosen has also worked for the prominent consulting firm PFC Energy.

Devon is active in policy battles, and met recently with the White House Office of Management and Budget to discuss planned federal rules on hydraulic fracturing that have generated industry criticism.