The two-day Oil and Gas 101 seminar, sponsored by HMH, kicked off last week, offering a comprehensive overview of the industry for both seasoned professionals and newcomers. Hosted by the Emerging Executives committee, the seminar brought together a range of industry leaders to cover critical topics such as exploration, drilling, refining, and supply chain.
Emerging Executives Committee Chair, Jordan West, Sales Representative, Mustang Cat, welcomed participants and provided a safety briefing. This was followed by an industry overview delivered by Molly Determan, President, Energy Workforce & Technology Council (EWTC). Determan introduced the Council’s background and mission, offering attendees a preview of the key topics they would explore during the seminar, the types of companies that are represented within each subsector and an overview of recent workforce trends.
The first session began with an Energy Market Outlook presented by Daniel Meyer, Accenture, which offered insights into current market dynamics, future energy demand trends, and the impact of global economic factors on the oil and gas industry. Andrew Kuchta, FET, followed with a presentation on the history of the industry, giving participants a comprehensive look at the evolution of the oil and gas sector and key milestones that have shaped its development.
Participants then shifted their focus to the upstream sector, attending sessions such as Geology and Seismic led by Andrew Royle, Chevron, who discussed the fundamentals of geology and seismic technology, from early exploration methods and the role of plate tectonics to the evolution of 2D and 3D seismic imaging that drives modern discovery. Karl Appleton, NOV delivered a detailed presentation on rig Systems and “drilling the well”, exploring the technical complexities of modern drilling equipment and the process of drilling from start to finish. The day concluded with a “Completions and Flow Equipment” presentation by Michael Dardis, SLB, who discussed the methods and technologies used to complete wells and ensure efficient production flow.
On the second day, the seminar covered a range of advanced industry topics. Taylor Chapman, New Climate Ventures, kicked off the day with a presentation on “AI, Data Centers and Power Demand”, outlining how the surge in digital activity is reshaping electricity consumption and capital investment. Darin Bohlmann, Caterpillar Oil & Gas, followed with “Energy Sources That Power the Oilfield”, where he detailed the various power generation solutions used to support oilfield operations. Mike Robinson, TechnipFMC, provided insights on subsea infrastructure, explaining the vital components and challenges of developing subsea systems for offshore oil and gas extraction.
Later in the day, the focus shifted to midstream and downstream aspects of the industry. Perrin Boone, Williams, presented on midstream, covering the transportation, storage, and processing of oil and gas from extraction sites to refineries. Chris Gallo, Phillips 66, covered refining, where he discussed the processes and technologies involved in converting crude oil into usable products like gasoline, diesel, and petrochemicals. Ryan Carr, Kodiak Gas Services, wrapped up the segment with a session on supply chain, addressing the logistics and operational challenges of managing the global movement of equipment, materials, and products in the energy sector.
The seminar concluded with a presentation by Chuck Chauviere, HMH, discussing global energy trends, hydrogen growth, renewables, and the need for advocacy to ensure reliable, affordable power for the future. Chauviere emphasized why the work of the participants matters, discussing the critical role their efforts play in shaping the future of energy. He highlighted the importance of innovation and collaboration in addressing global energy challenges and how their contributions will influence the direction of the industry in the years to come.
The event was organized by Emerging Executive committee members who facilitated the seminar including Chair Jordan West, Mustang Cat; Vice Chair Nate King, NOV; Barton Escamilla, SLB; Bryan Clements, Caterpillar; Angelle Esparza, Solaris Energy Infrastructure; Lindsay Bechtel, GD Energy Products
Congratulations to all participants!
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Britney Turcios, Marketing Specialist, writes about the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
