Cultivating a New Corporate Culture

Workplace culture has undergone many changes in various industries. From changes in business models to company values, workforces have experienced cultural shifts, often resulting in more inclusive, diverse environments. While other industries have rapidly adopted new cultural environments over the years, the oil and gas industry has generally remained traditional...

Managing the Big Three in Offshore Compliance

With the changing trends of energy supply and consumption come adaptation and altered business models of oil and gas companies, respectively. While producers look to the future and carve out new stakes in this new frontier of renewable energy, one prominent factor has remained the same regarding the offshore oil...

Interview: Paul Carlisle, CEO and Partner of Brane, Inc.

Brane is an emerging FinTech company, using AI to predict locations of new wells using big-data analytics. Eric Eissler: What gave you the idea that started your company? Paul Carlisle: As an operator drilling, we always paid the mineral owners first from production regardless of how much it costs to...

(Missed) Opportunity Zones – Why Investors Should Take Note

By now, the majority of mutual fund portfolio managers and investor-class financial planners are aware of opportunity zone investing. It’s a relatively new investment vehicle created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 and primarily designed to foster economic redevelopment in impoverished areas across approximately 8,700 U.S. census...

America’s Energy Reliability, Part 3

America’s energy reliability is essential for both the power generation and transportation needed for our country. As the last two articles on America’s energy reliability have stated, accessibility, affordability and reliability are vital for a strong U.S. economy and security. As I stated in a column I wrote in 2014,...

Gaurdie Banister, Jr., The People-Centric CEO

Among the characteristics a company looks for in a CEO or board member, diplomacy would be somewhere at the top of the list. Gaurdie Banister, Jr., the former CEO of Aera Energy, and a board member many times over – Marathon Oil, Tyson Foods, Dow and Russell Reynolds, to name...

Foreign Countries Given the Green Light in Oil Production, U.S. Held Back

In early August, the White House urged OPEC to boost oil production to support global economic recovery in light of COVID-19. The fact that the U.S. and our global partners need stable and sufficient energy resources isn’t news, but the Biden Administration’s public recognition of the challenges that come with...

Young Professionals in the Oil and Gas Industry: Interview with Ryan Yarger

Our next young professional is Ryan Yarger, who is currently a facilities engineer in the Midland area. Ryan and I started our paths in the petroleum industry at the same time, and I’ve witnessed his tremendous growth through academia and the industry. Ryan is a graduate from the University of...

ERP Innovation Imperative: Why Legacy Tech is Holding Back the Energy Back Office

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is one of the most important technology choices an energy company can make. It impacts all facets of corporate health and wellbeing, including general and administrative, operational expenses, employee satisfaction, vendor relations and competitive advantage. It is also central to an organization’s ability to pivot...

Letter from the Publisher (September-October 2021)

The Biden administration asked countries that export crude oil, many that are not friendly to the United States, such as Russia, Venezuela and Iran, to increase oil production to drive down gasoline prices in the U.S. If you’re thinking, this is insane, it is. President Biden, on his first day...

Interview: Jeff Shellebarger, Chairman of the 23rd World Petroleum Congress Organizing Committee

Eric Eissler: Could you provide a little background about the World Petroleum Congress? Jeff Shellebarger: The World Petroleum Congress (WPC) is a triennial, global industry event hosted by the World Petroleum Council, which has run since 1933. This year, the 23rd edition of the World Petroleum Congress will be returning...

Re-engineered Technology Cleans Produced Water for Green Use

Wyoming-based Encore Green Environmental Technologies and Licensing (EGETL) began with a dream of taking a former nuisance substance – produced water – and turning it into an asset for use in restoring rangeland in dry western states. This would benefit producers, landowners and the climate/environmental, social and governance (ESG) agenda...

The X Factor for the Energy Transition: Reimagining the Human Performance Experience

Human Performance Experience is the X Factor in 21st Century Operations There is no greater hedge against uncertainty in the ongoing energy transition than improving the human performance experience at work. While the cyclical nature of the booms and busts within the industry have had a formidable impact on workforce...

Recent Pipeline Dispute Offers a Teachable Moment in Achieving Energy Independence

In the U.S. these days, despite strong bipartisan support for “infrastructure” renewal, developing an oil or natural gas project is a significant multi-year undertaking. Any project is greeted with lengthy regulatory reviews, legal challenges and meticulous construction management needs. Energy transport projects, especially those carrying natural gas, go through a...

When God Acts, Be Prepared: Five Steps to Minimize Liability for Weather-Related Risks

With oil and gas assets and infrastructure continuously exposed to the elements, extreme weather events periodically wreak havoc in the oil patch. February’s Winter Storm Uri became the costliest winter storm on record, with freezing infrastructure across states, from Nebraska to the Texas Gulf Coast, resulting in a hefty price...

How an Energy Data Platform Fuels a Competitive Advantage

It’s an exciting time in energy. Macro changes are transforming the industry and accelerating the adoption of technology at lightning speed. While the macro environment is shifting, the aspects of a good business strategy remain constant. The importance of quality data is becoming clearer, but an underinvestment in your data...