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Energy Workforce & Technology Council 90th Anniversary
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Reflections on 2021 and the Future

Council Members,

Energy Workforce & Technology Council CEO Leslie Beyer
Council CEO Leslie Beyer

Our first year as the Energy Services & Technology Council has drawn to a close, and the Council’s Board of Directors, Advisory Board and I would like to thank you for your support and continued engagement.

Our members continue to inspire us to elevate and unify the energy technology and services sector during challenging times. Our members are literally powering the world. Their roles are critical to providing the energy necessary to meet growing global demand while also investing in technological innovations to reduce emissions.

ELEVATING THE SECTOR: ADVOCACY

It is paramount that we tell our sector’s story of innovation and ingenuity to all stakeholders, key among them our government leaders. Our recent Washington, DC Fly-In was the largest and most impactful in history, including important discussions with members of Congress and the current Administration about the sector and our fundamental role in energy transition. When policies threaten our businesses, the Council will always respond and tell the true story of our sector and its critical role in the future of energy.

Our government affairs team held over 200 meetings this year with elected officials at both the federal and state level to tell this story. The Council formed a coalition with partner industry trade associations to push back on potential negative policy provisions, including the leasing moratorium on federal lands that was instituted by the Department of Interior last January. This coalition has also led the charge against potential new industry punitive taxes in the “Build Back Better” package on Capitol Hill. While the future of the “Build Back Better” package is still up in the air, the current draft of the bill treats our industry much more positively than prior versions thanks, in part, to these efforts.

The Council has worked extensively with the current Administration offering the technology and workforce of our sector as an asset and partner in meeting their goal of a lower carbon future. We have pushed back on overreaching policies that overlook the carbon benefits of natural gas, and policies that arbitrarily discriminate against fossil fuels. We have had constructive conversations with the Administration highlighting new carbon lowering technology built by council Member Companies and our leading role in technologies such as offshore wind, geothermal and CCUS. These conversations are key to keep our companies’ contributions in the minds of policymakers.

ELEVATING THE SECTOR: REGULATIONS AND BEST PRACTICES

On the regulatory front, the Council was busy working with regulatory agencies on proposed regulations. This year, the Council formulated comments on proposed ESG reporting through the SEC, EPA’s methane regulations, OSHA’s HTS vaccine mandate, proposed changes to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), as well as a Department of Energy RFI on the energy supply chain. The Council also engaged at the state level with comments on proposed changes for the regulation of TENORM in Colorado. Given the unique positioning of the OFS sector, it is key for the Council to provide this unified voice.

The Council continues to lead our industry through the preparation of best practices documents used for Member Company operations. The Well Stimulation Committee is currently drafting a well stimulation best practices guidebook that will be the first of its kind in pressure pumping. The Well Services Committee is working to update the Well Servicing best practices document which has been used for decades as the industry gold standard for safety.

EMPOWERING THE WORKFORCE

The industry is facing headwinds, but it’s important that we talk about how the workforce of this sector will be integral to the future of energy.

The Council’s executive training programs are critical for both the Council and our Member Companies. When training dollars are tight, the Council’s low-cost training programs are important tools to be utilized by Member Companies. Registration is open for the  Executive Leadership ProgramInclusion & Diversity Business Champion Program and the ESG Certification Program. The programs are effective ways to develop high-performing teams and build loyalty, while investing in areas that are important to your business.

Continuing to invest in the future of industry, the Council distributed more than $50,000 in scholarships to Member Company dependents for secondary education. This program will continue in 2022, with fundraisers and events on the chapter and national levels, supplying much needed educational dollars to the families of our sector. 

The Council also provides funding for middle school and high school education, through the IPAA/Energy Workforce Education Center. Your direct involvement in the Council helps fund that center, which targets middle schools in the Permian and high school Petroleum Academies in Houston and Fort Worth. By providing STEM training at an early age, students are exposed to an industry filled with amazing opportunities for future careers in the field. 

EMPOWERING THE WORKFORCE: INCLUSION & DIVERSITY

It’s important to recognize the Council’s work in inclusion and diversity and the role this plays in empowering our workforce for the future. This year marked an update to the Council’s groundbreaking diversity survey of 2018. Even in this pandemic environment, where women have left the workforce in record numbers, the study found a growth of three percent of women in our sector to 19%.

The study was also expanded to include race and ethnicity and set an important baseline that’s a first for the sector. As a direct result of working groups established after the study, the Council has launched a cross-company ERG, the Council Network for African American & Black Employees (NAABE), focused on promoting awareness and equitable experiences, as well as generating change throughout the energy industry.

EMPOWERING THE WORKFORCE: BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE

The Council is also a resource for business intelligence, with market outlook events addressing managing current market conditions through collaboration with the energy technology and services sector. When utilizing the Council’s business intelligence, the Credit Interchange Division (CID) supplies up-to-date data insights into the sector through credit and payment data exclusive to the oil and gas industry.

TELLING OUR STORY

Finally, the Council tells a compelling story about both the challenges facing the sector and its successes through national media placements, the relaunch of “Well Servicing Magazine” and the “Energy in Transition” podcast. Through these channels, our members and the role our sector plays in a low carbon future was highlighted to more than a billion people this year, and the Council looks forward to continued growth in 2022.  

I’m optimistic about the future of our industry. We have a seat at the table, a role to play in the energy transition, and alliances with key stakeholders. I’m proud of the work that’s been done over such a difficult year, and I’d like to thank the Council leadership and Members for your continued support.

Best wishes to you and your families in the New Year.

Leslie Beyer Signature

Leslie Beyer
Energy Workforce & Technology Council CEO

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