By Arathy Somasekhar

HOUSTON, May 23 (Reuters) - Republican presidential

candidate Donald Trump raised tens of millions of dollars during

a fundraising swing through Texas this week, promising he would

support the oil and gas industry by backing new pipelines and

restoring fracking on federal land.

Trump has courted support from the energy industry with a

pro-fossil fuel and anti-regulation agenda and regularly

criticizes President Joe Biden's policies to accelerate the

energy transition toward a low-carbon economy.

The oil and gas industry has boomed under Biden despite

increased regulation and the more climate-focused

administration, making record profits and pumping more oil and

gas than ever before. The industry has pushed back against

Biden's ban on fracking on federal land a recent halt in

approving new gas export facilities.

A Houston fundraiser on Wednesday was hosted by oil

billionaires Jeff Hildebrand, founder of Hilcorp Energy, the

largest closely held U.S. oil firm; George Bishop, founder of

GeoSouthern Energy; Harold Hamm, founder of Continental

Resources; and Kelcy Warren, head of pipeline firm Energy

Transfer Partners.

Trump drew standing ovations when he promised to get more

natural gas pipelines built if elected and to restore fracking

to areas barred under Biden, said Mark Carr, a Houston

entrepreneur who was in attendance. Many oil and gas pipelines

were delayed or abandoned under both Trump and Biden's

administrations due to community opposition, legal challenges

and lengthy permitting processes.

"He's going to get energy going again in the United States,"

said Carr, who founded the Houston-area Christian Brothers

Automotive chain.

Trump said America needs to quit taking Venezuelan "tar" oil

and instead use American oil, said another attendee, who

declined to be named. The United States has resumed limited

imports of Venezuelan crude under Biden for processing at U.S.

refineries.

Trump has emphasized tax cuts for the industry,

"streamlining" the permitting process, and removing certain

regulations, said donor and oil executive Dan Eberhart, who was

in Houston for the event. "We can drill our way to energy

security and low gas prices," said Eberhart.

The Houston fundraiser was held by the Trump 47 Committee, a

fundraising tie-up between the Trump campaign, the Republican

National Committee, a fundraising group that has spent tens of

millions of dollars on Trump's legal fees, and a raft of

Republican state parties. The Houston luncheon and a smaller,

more intimate roundtable with a group of about 45 executives was

followed by a fundraising event in Dallas on Wednesday night.

A Trump campaign official said the Texas swing brought in at

least $15 million. Two sources told Reuters the various Texas

events took in a total of around $40 million. Reuters was not

immediately able to confirm that number.

After a raft of high-dollar donor events across the country,

Trump overtook Biden in fundraising last month for the first

time.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Senate finance and budget committees on

Thursday launched an investigation into Trump's reported offer

to roll back a slew of environmental regulations in exchange for

$1 billion in campaign contributions.

The investigation came a week after the top Democratic

lawmaker on a U.S. House oversight panel sought information from

nine oil companies about reports about "quid pro quo

propositions" made by the former president at a campaign event

this spring at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.

The Texas events were pricy affairs: Host committee members

were asked to pay $250,000 per couple and agree to raise another

$500,000, according to the invitations. The chair was asked to

donate about $845,000 per couple and raise another $1.69

million.

An after-luncheon roundtable drew Occidental Petroleum ( OXY )

CEO Vicki Hollub and Houston entertainment and sports

magnate Tillman Fertitta, who owns the hotel where the event was

held. They were offered a question-and-answer period with the

candidate.

Also in attendance in Houston was North Dakota Governor Doug

Burgum, a former Trump rival for the Republican nomination and

now a possible running mate, according to another attendee.

Teofilo Lingi, chief operating officer of EK-Petrol, said

the former president was "good for the oil industry" and

relations with Angola, where his trading and oil exploration

company was founded.

Stricter environmental regulations since Trump's term in

office have "made it more difficult for us to import from

Angola," Lingi said, citing customs duties.