Energy Workforce President Molly Determan and EWTC members joined senior government and industry leaders in Houston this week for the G20 Energy Abundance Ministerial, where global energy policy conversations were centered on a familiar set of challenges for the energy services sector: how to produce more energy, move projects faster, strengthen supply chains and build the infrastructure needed to meet growing demand.
The September 14-16 ministerial brought together energy ministers and senior officials from around the world, including U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, White House National Energy Dominance Council Executive Director Jarrod Agen, Indian Minister Manohar Lal and European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen, amongst others.
EWTC members represented in the room included Olivier Le Peuch, CEO of SLB; Jose Bayardo, Chairman, President & CEO of NOV; Todd Ennenga, Director, Government Affairs at Halliburton; Bruce Miller, Vice President and Director of Government and Industry Affairs at SLB; Mike Holcomb, EVP & COO of Patterson-UTI; Neal Lux, President & CEO of Forum Energy Technologies; Matt Autenrieth, EVP, CFO & Treasurer of Oil States International; and Matt Armstrong, Vice President of Global Government & Regulatory Affairs at Baker Hughes.
While the gathering brought together leaders from different countries and energy systems, the discussions repeatedly returned to the same underlying question: what will it take to reliably meet future energy demand?
For the energy services sector, that question begins with the ability to get projects built.
Permitting and regulatory efficiency were major themes throughout the week, including at an EPA-hosted G20 Regulatory Efficiency Symposium focused on creating more predictable approval processes and modernizing regulatory systems. For companies across the energy services supply chain, the implications are significant. Faster and more predictable permitting can support investment across drilling, completions, manufacturing, pipeline and infrastructure development, and the deployment of new energy technologies.
The conversation also came against the backdrop of continued pressure on global energy infrastructure and transportation routes. Recent disruptions to crude flows have reinforced the importance of resilient production and diversified infrastructure, placing energy security squarely at the center of the ministerial.
That focus extends beyond oil and gas production itself. G20 leaders also discussed the security of critical mineral supply chains, an increasingly important issue for energy, advanced manufacturing and technology.
Even water emerged as part of the broader energy abundance conversation. EPA announced a G20 Water Reuse Initiative in Houston aimed at expanding the safe reuse of treated water for industrial, agricultural and energy applications. For an industry already focused on water management, recycling and efficiency, the connection between energy security and water security is becoming increasingly difficult to separate.
Together, the discussions in Houston reflected something the energy services sector has long understood: energy abundance is not created by policy goals alone. It requires infrastructure, equipment, technology, skilled workers and the ability to move projects from concept to production.
That is where energy services companies sit in the global energy equation.
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