A leading lobbyist for the oil industry is jumping to natural gas.

Lou Hayden, senior director of federal relations for the American Petroleum Institute, is headed to the Williams Cos., one of the bigger natural gas firms. He will work as director of legislative affairs, starting Monday.

"It’s a great company and a great opportunity," Hayden said.

The switch comes as the oil industry deals with the political aftermath of the BP PLC oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and questions about expanded offshore oil drilling. It also hits during a year of transition at API, the biggest influence group for the oil and natural gas industry. In December, trade group President Jack Gerard cut 15 percent of API's staff, saying that it had "not been as effective as we could be in educating public officials or the public about the critical role of oil and gas in our economy." Gerard said he would be adding some new positions to become more "nimble" (E&ENews PM, Dec. 11, 2009).

API then grabbed one of the Nature Conservancy's grass-roots organizers, Deryck Spooner (Greewire, Feb. 26). In February, the group's media relations manager, Karen Matusic, left to take a job at Exxon Mobil Corp. in Dallas (E&ENews PM, Feb. 24).

API currently has about a dozen lobbyists, according to its disclosures filed with the U.S. House.

Hayden declined to answer whether the move signals that he sees more opportunity in the natural gas field. That industry has been lobbying for itself as a cleaner fuel that is abundant and can help the country reduce carbon emissions.

Hayden at API already has advocated for nature gas, arguing that climate legislation should recognize the fuel's lower greenhouse gas emissions benefits.

Williams is the 10th-largest natural gas producer in the United States, according to its website. It is also one of the biggest lobbyists in the sector. In the first quarter of this year, Williams led the natural gas industry in lobbying spending, paying $1.3 million for influence work, according to Center for Responsive Politics.

Hayden has been with API more than seven years. Before that, he worked for the National Association of Home Builders, spent nearly three years with Rep. John Mica (R-Fla.) and worked on the campaigns of Jeb Bush (R) for governor in Florida and presidential candidate Bob Dole in 1995-1996.

He has a master of business administration degree from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and a bachelor's degree in economics from the University of Florida. Hayden lives in Georgetown.