PESA 2019 Foreign and Civil Service Officer Oil & Gas Industry Training Session Group
On May 20-23, PESA hosted its highly-regarded Oil and Gas Industry Training Program for 25 U.S. foreign and civil service officers from the Departments of State and Department of Treasury. The training program was developed 25 years ago to educate global energy influencers on technological innovations and business dynamics of our industry, allowing for stronger relationships between industry and U.S. interests abroad and promoting better-informed decisions at embassy posts around the world. Throughout the week, the group heard from industry and subject matter experts from Baker Hughes, a GE company, BP, Chevron, Citi, ConocoPhillips, Gaffney, Cline & Associates, Halliburton, NOV, Rice University’s Baker Institute, Schlumberger and TechnipFMC.
PESA’s International Programs Committee, who directs and develops the FSO Program, includes Committee Chair Lindsy Sallee, NOV; Committee Board Liaison Chris Cragg, Oil States International, Inc.; PESA Board Member Matt Armstrong, Baker Hughes, a GE company; Mike Bowie, Baker Hughes, a GE company; Felix Soepyan, BJ Services; Andy Knapp, BP; Chris Berrie, Caterpillar Oil & Gas; Jill Kano, Chevron; Mack Moore, ConocoPhillips; Elizabeth Stephens, DistributionNOW; Ariel Shalin, ExxonMobil; Todd Ennenga, Halliburton; Dr. Ken Medlock, Rice University; PESA Past Chair Dan Domeracki, Schlumberger and Jeff Mathews, TechnipFMC. This committee of both PESA Members and operator partners develops the FSO training course curriculum with a focus on specializing technical content and promoting industry’s achievements in efficiency, sustainability, global poverty reduction and local content development.
FSOs visited Wiess Energy Hall at the Houston Museum of Natural History
On the afternoon of the first day of training, the FSOs toured Wiess Energy Hall at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, where they were able to experience the comprehensive and technologically advanced exhibition on the science and technology of energy.
PESA Board and Advisory Board members met with the FSOs for an industry dinner on the third evening of the course. Susan Stevenson, U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, U.S. Department of State, addressed the group, thanking PESA for directing the program and emphasizing the importance of collaboration between industry and State.
PESA members also attended a luncheon with the FSOs on the last day of the program, May 23, at NOV. During the luncheon, attendees had the opportunity to hear from keynote speaker Dr. Ken Medlock, who is the James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics and Senior Director at the Center for Energy Studies, Baker Institute for Public Policy, Rice University. Dr. Medlock addressed the future of energy, different views on the matter from around the world, and how this influences international negotiations and actions.
“Each country has different threats, different issues. This is where developed countries have an important role to play. It’s a leadership role where we come to the table to develop solutions rather than mandates and recognize not every country has the same problems to solve when it comes to energy and technology,” Dr. Medlock said.
[su_quote cite=”Leslie Beyer, President, PESA”]“The PESA FSO Industry training course is a collaborative effort designed to familiarize foreign and civil service officers with the energy industry, driving stronger collaboration with operations in country and influencing informed energy policy decisions in country. Like other PESA training programs, the FSO Industry Training course addresses advanced technologies that drive our industry, as well as the dynamic geopolitical and economic landscape in which we operate.”[/su_quote]
To meet growing interest from the U.S. State Department and Foreign Service Institute, PESA conducts FSO trainings twice a year. The next training session is scheduled for August 19-22, 2019.
PESA thanks all of the companies and individuals who provided their time, expertise and leadership to make this critical program a success.
