As the energy industry charts its course towards the future, offshore energy production stands at the helm of innovation and opportunity. Don’t miss out on Energy Workforce & Technology Council’s 2026 Annual Meeting, where the offshore panel promises to be a highlight, offering insights and strategies to navigate the complex waters of offshore energy development.
Offshore energy resources hold immense potential to power an all-of-the-above approach to energy production, empowering the industry to meet growing demand. The offshore panel will delve into the latest advancements in technology, policy, and investment driving the expansion of offshore projects worldwide.
Meet Our Expert Panelists:
Joining the offshore panel are industry leaders, innovators, and seasoned executives with unparalleled expertise in offshore energy development, bringing diverse perspectives and insights to the discussion, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of offshore opportunities and challenges:
Moderator-Jim Wicklund, Managing Director, PPHB
Mr. Wicklund is a Managing Director for PPHB, a Houston based Energy investment bank. Prior to joining PPHB, he was a Managing Director and Senior Banker in the Energy Group at Stephens Inc. He spent 15 years in the oil & gas industry, working in geophysics, reservoir engineering and operations around the world, living in Australia, Singapore, Milan, London a few times and of course Houston many times, with Western Geophysical, now part of SLB (Schlumberger), Sun Oil Company, McCord-Lewis, and Exploration Consultants Ltd (ECL). He spent several years as an equity research analyst and Head of Energy Research at Rauscher Pierce, Banc of America and Credit Suisse as well as working as the energy portfolio manager at Carlson Capital, a multi-billion dollar hedge fund. He has been ranked #1 in Institutional Investors, WSJ Best on the Street, Greenwich #1 in Industry Knowledge and several other recognitions and awards. He is a member and past symposium chair of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG), on the boards of the National Offshore Industry Association (NOIA), the Energy Workforce and Technology Council, the Energy ESG Council, Merit Advisors, Preng & Associates and the Maguire Energy Institute Advisory Board, at SMU his alma mater.
Blake Denton, SVP, Marketing & Contracts, Noble Corporation
Mr. Denton was named Senior Vice President of Marketing and Contracts of Noble in October 2022. Previously, he served as Director of Marketing and Contracts for Noble from January 2017 until assuming his position as Vice President in March 2020, where he led Noble’s marketing and contracts efforts for the Middle East and India while based in Dubai.
Prior to that, Mr. Denton served as our Project Director from March 2012 to January 2017 based in Korea and Houston, and as Project Manager from August 2010 to March 2012 based in Singapore. Before that, he led Noble’s newbuild project electrical engineering efforts for dynamically positioned drilling assets as a consultant based first in Houston and then in Singapore. Before joining Noble, Mr. Denton worked for a Houston-based electrical integration company supplying power generation and controls equipment primarily to the marine and drilling industry worldwide.
Mr. Denton Bachelor of Science in Industrial Distribution from Texas A&M University’s College of Engineering.
Siva Gollakota, VP, Supply Chain, Talos
Sivaram (Siva) Gollakota is Vice President of Supply Chain at Talos Energy, where he leads enterprise-wide supply chain strategy and operations to support a growing Gulf of Mexico-focused E&P portfolio from the company’s Houston headquarters. A global operating executive and Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program graduate with an INSEAD MBA, Siva has spent more than two decades driving large-scale transformation, portfolio growth, and operational excellence across the energy value chain.
Before joining Talos, Siva held various roles at Shell, including leading the global deepwater and the U.K. supply chain teams, managing Business Transformation for Upstream & Integrated Gas and overseeing Strategy & Portfolio for both Global Exploration and Upstream Americas. His earlier career includes management consulting at BCG, Booz & Co. and Schlumberger Business Consulting and engineering and operational roles at Siemens Energy & Automation, and ABB, giving him a uniquely integrated view of technology, operations, and commercial strategy in energy.
Siva is passionate about building high-performance, diverse teams and for leading through disruption with a focus on safety, resilience, and value creation across complex global supply chains.
John Seeger, CEO, Commodore Offshore Operating
The offshore panel at the EWTC Annual Meeting 2026 promises exploration, discussion, and collaboration in the offshore energy sector. Join us as we chart the course towards a sustainable energy future!
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the conversation. Register now for the EWTC Annual Meeting 2025.
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