2026 State of Energy Services Conference, Sponsored by Diamondback Energy

Event Date: October 1, 2026

Event Time: 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Location: Bush Convention Center

105 N Main St.
Midland, TX 79701

Open to Members & Non-Members

Member Pricing: $195

Non-Member Pricing: $250

What will define the next year for the energy services sector?

As market conditions evolve, customer priorities shift, and new opportunities emerge, today’s business decisions will shape tomorrow’s success. The decisions made today will shape business performance well into 2027. 

Join the Energy Workforce & Technology Council on October 1 in Midland for the State of Energy Services Conference, an executive forum designed to provide senior leaders with the market intelligence and industry perspective needed to plan for the year ahead.

The morning begins with a market outlook from Piper Sandler, followed by executive discussions with leaders representing the well stimulation, well services, wireline and manufacturing sectors. Together, they will examine the trends influencing investment, operations, technology adoption and the future of energy services.

The program concludes with Energy Workforce’s Safety Awards, recognizing member companies for their commitment to safety and operational excellence.

Check the Membership Directory to confirm your company’s membership.

What to Expect

Expand your network

Connect with executives from across the energy services sector.

 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Share perspectives and hear directly from industry leaders and peers.

 

Interactive Sessions

Leaders representing the well stimulation, well services, wireline and manufacturing sectors will examine the trends influencing investment, operations, technology adoption and the future of energy services.

RECOGNIZE EXCELLENCE

Honor the member companies leading the industry in safety.

Speakers

Ben Poppel

Director of Engineering and Executive Sales, Liberty Energy

Ben is a Mechanical Engineering Graduate from the University of Miami. He got into the oilfield in 2006 working for Halliburton in Rock Springs Wyoming. He later became the District Engineer for Superior Well Services in the DJ basin. In 2010 he joined Stimwell Services as the Senior Stimulation Engineer on frac boat the “Island Patriot” in the North Sea. He later founded Trident Wellsite Consulting before joining the Liberty team full-time in 2012. Until recently Ben served as the Director of Field Engineering for Liberty Energy. Now he is the Director of Engineering and Executive Sales.

Marshall dodson

President and Chief Executive Officer, Key Energy Services

Mr. Dodson was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director on March 23, 2020 after serving as Interim Chief Executive Officer since December 30, 2019. Mr. Dodson joined Key as Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer on August 22, 2005, and served in that capacity until being appointed Vice President and Treasurer on June 8, 2009. He was appointed Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer on March 25, 2013 and served in that role until March 23, 2020. Prior to joining Key, Mr. Dodson served in various capacities at Dynegy, Inc., an electric generation and trading company. Prior to joining Dynegy Inc. in 2001, Mr. Dodson worked at Arthur Andersen LLP in Houston, Texas, where he started his career in 1993. Mr. Dodson has served as a director for Enduro Resource Partners LLC, a private exploration and production company and AFTI, a private Canadian oilfield technology company. Mr. Dodson received a BBA from the University of Texas at Austin in 1993. 

He entered the Supply Chain discipline at Talisman Energy, and later Repsol, eventually leading the Global SCM team for Drilling and Completions in Houston, Texas and Madrid, Spain. 

Following his time at Repsol he joined Venture Global LNG to help build its nascent Supply Chain and transition to operations, and from there returned to his OFS roots to lead the SCM function at Patterson-UTI Energy.Micah attained his MBA from the University of Houston in 2015, and is pursuing his Doctorate in Business Administration, focusing on improving the proficiency of non-technical workers with Generative AI Technology.

Ryan tull

Managing Director, Head of Energy, Power & Infrastructure Capital Markets Origination and Public M&A, Piper Sandler

Ryan Tull joined the energy, power & infrastructure investment banking group at Piper Sandler in 2024 and leads the capital markets origination and public M&A for the group.

Tull has 30 years of experience in the energy industry, including 20 years as an investment banker. Prior to Piper Sandler, Tull was head of oilfield services and oilfield infrastructure at J.P. Morgan from 2019 to 2024, and worked for Credit Suisse from 2004 to 2019 where he was promoted to managing director and served as head of oilfield services.

Tull has extensive capital markets and advisory experience, raising more than $50 billion in debt financing, leading more than 20 IPOs as well as many other follow-on equity offerings and having completed approximately $40 billion in M&A deal volume.

Tull is a long-time Houstonian and grew up in New Mexico. He earned a bachelor’s degree in managerial studies and economics as well as a Masters of Business Administration degree, with honors, from Rice University.

Mr. Griggs received a Master of Business Administration from the Harvard Business School and a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts from the University of Texas at Austin.

Carl Brooks

Global Wells Manager – Well Servicing, ExxonMobil

Carl Brooks serves as Global Wells Manager for Well Servicing within ExxonMobil’s Global Operations organization, leading the company’s worldwide well servicing activities. With more than 44 years of industry experience, he is widely recognized for his expertise in drilling, well intervention, well servicing operations, and the advancement of operational excellence across complex upstream assets.

Prior to joining ExxonMobil in 2000, Carl held a variety of supervisory and consulting roles supporting drilling and workover operations, building a strong technical foundation in well construction and intervention. Throughout his career with ExxonMobil, he has served in technical, operational, and leadership positions across North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Russia, providing him with extensive experience in diverse operating environments and global upstream operations.

In his current role, Carl has played a pivotal role in the development and evolution of ExxonMobil’s global Well Servicing organization. He leads initiatives focused on improving safety, operational performance, and execution consistency across the company’s well servicing portfolio. A strong advocate for industry advancement, Carl has championed the adoption of innovative technologies, modern equipment capabilities, and enhanced operational practices aimed at improving workforce safety and operational efficiency. His collaborative efforts within ExxonMobil and across the broader energy industry continue to drive meaningful improvements in well servicing performance and risk reduction worldwide.

Nick Ruppelt

Chief Operating Officer, Evolution Well Services

Nicholas (Nick) Ruppelt serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Evolution Well Services, a pioneering electric frac company with operations in North America. Appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2024, Nick rose through roles leading digital, engineering, and commercial teams after initially joining Evolution in 2019, proving invaluable to the organization’s operational success.

Nick has a proven track record in driving measurable efficiency gains, scaling data-driven operations, and strengthening cross-functional alignments to advance operational excellence.

Before joining Evolution, Nick held sales leadership roles with Siemens USA, where he was focused on automation and digitalization technologies for the industrial sector. A Kentucky native, Nick graduated summa cum laude from Northeastern University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and later earned an MBA in Strategic Management from Villanova University.

Tommy McWilliams

Partner and Vice President, Production Services, Inc. (PSI)

Tommy McWilliams is a partner and Vice President of Production Services, Inc. (PSI) and a founding partner of Red Dog Oil Tools. PSI and Red Dog provide a broad range of services to oil, gas, chemical and brine well operators throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas.

McWilliams began working on workover and drilling rigs at age 18. After earning a degree in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana Tech University in 1990, he joined The Western Company. In 1993, he joined Story Oil & Gas and Therral Story Well Service, a small independent oil and gas operator and service rig provider. Therral Story Well Service later became TSWS and was sold to Complete Production Services in 2008.

In 2014, McWilliams and his partners placed Production Services, Inc.’s first service rig into operation. Today, PSI employs approximately 215 people and operates 25 service rigs, eight P&A spreads, 11 wireline trucks, mobile EMI and hydrostatic testing units, a full-service pipe facility, heavy-haul equipment, and associated well-service equipment. PSI also operates its own manufacturing and refurbishment facility to build, refurbish and maintain equipment.

Throughout his 42-year career, McWilliams has been involved in drilling, completions, production, and plugging and abandonment, with significant experience in conventional and legacy well P&A operations.

McWilliams currently serves as Chairman of the Arkansas Pollution Control & Ecology Commission and on the Southern Arkansas University College of Engineering Advisory Board. He is a member of the Arkansas Critical Minerals Collaborative and the Society of Petroleum Engineers and is a former Commissioner of the Arkansas Oil & Gas Commission.

McWilliams is also Owner and President of WOH, Inc., an oil and gas holding company. Throughout his career, he has been an active advocate for the oil and gas industry.

Phillip Thane

Facilities & Midstream Manager, Valedor Energy

Phillip Thane serves as the Facilities & Midstream Manager of Valedor Energy. He has over a decade of experience in operations and engineering, specializing in facilities, completions, and production. Previously, Phillip served as Manager of Facilities Engineering and Construction at Encino Energy, where he led a multidisciplinary team responsible for the design and buildout of production infrastructure to support . He has also held engineering roles at Range Resources and Coterra Energy, supporting large-scale development programs and sustainability initiatives. Phillip holds a Master of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Texas. 

Neal Lux

President and Chief Executive Officer, FET

Mr. Lux has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since February 2022. Since January 2009, Mr. Lux has held various operations roles of increasing responsibility with the Company and its subsidiaries, including Executive Vice President – Operations; Senior Vice President – Completions; Managing Director – Global Tubing; and President – Global Tubing. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.

Bill Austin

Managing Partner, Daniel Energy Partners

Bill is a Managing Partner at Daniel Energy Partners. Bill is a multi-disciplined senior finance and strategic business adviser with an exceptional depth of experience in the energy and manufacturing industries. Bill has led origination, evaluation, negotiation, and execution of acquisition and divestiture transactions in energy and manufacturing. He has deep industry experience leading treasury, risk management, M&A and credit functions. He’s been a leader of numerous transaction teams at Key Energy Services, Cameron International, Honeywell and Forum Energy Technologies. He is a tenacious problem-solver focused on utilizing technical, strategic, and commercial skills to collaborate with executive teams. Bill builds strong relationships with client leaders across the organization to ensure strategic initiatives are implemented effectively, reporting on challenges and recommending alternatives when necessary. Bill holds a BA in Economics from Colgate University and an MBA from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.

Phillip Thane

Facilities & Midstream Manager, Valedor Energy

Phillip Thane serves as the Facilities & Midstream Manager of Valedor Energy. He has over a decade of experience in operations and engineering, specializing in facilities, completions, and production. Previously, Phillip served as Manager of Facilities Engineering and Construction at Encino Energy, where he led a multidisciplinary team responsible for the design and buildout of production infrastructure to support . He has also held engineering roles at Range Resources and Coterra Energy, supporting large-scale development programs and sustainability initiatives. Phillip holds a Master of Engineering in Petroleum Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the state of Texas. 

Neal Lux

President and Chief Executive Officer, FET

Mr. Lux has served as President and Chief Executive Officer since February 2022. Since January 2009, Mr. Lux has held various operations roles of increasing responsibility with the Company and its subsidiaries, including Executive Vice President – Operations; Senior Vice President – Completions; Managing Director – Global Tubing; and President – Global Tubing. He holds a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from Purdue University.

Bill Austin

Managing Partner, Daniel Energy Partners

Bill is a Managing Partner at Daniel Energy Partners. Bill is a multi-disciplined senior finance and strategic business adviser with an exceptional depth of experience in the energy and manufacturing industries. Bill has led origination, evaluation, negotiation, and execution of acquisition and divestiture transactions in energy and manufacturing. He has deep industry experience leading treasury, risk management, M&A and credit functions. He’s been a leader of numerous transaction teams at Key Energy Services, Cameron International, Honeywell and Forum Energy Technologies. He is a tenacious problem-solver focused on utilizing technical, strategic, and commercial skills to collaborate with executive teams. Bill builds strong relationships with client leaders across the organization to ensure strategic initiatives are implemented effectively, reporting on challenges and recommending alternatives when necessary. Bill holds a BA in Economics from Colgate University and an MBA from the A.B. Freeman School of Business at Tulane University.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Enhance your company’s visibility by becoming a sponsor. Benefits include logo recognition, email announcements to all Energy Workforce Members, event webpage recognition, event signage, and mentions in post-event articles and social media.

Please contact Andy McDowell at andy.mcdowell@uprightdigital.com if you are interested in a sponsorship opportunity.

agenda

8 a.m.  – 8:15 a.m.               Registration & Networking

General Session

8:15 a.m. – 8:35 a.m.           State of Energy Workforce

  • Molly Determan, President, Energy Workforce & Technology Council
  • Tim Tarpley, President, Energy Workforce & Technology Council

8:35 a.m. – 9:05 a.m.           Market Outlook

  • Ryan Tull, Managing Director, Head of Energy, Power & Infrastructure Capital Markets Origination and Public M&A, Piper Sandler

9:05 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.        Well Servicing 2.0: Modernization of the Industry panel

  • Marshall Dodson, President & CEO, Key Energy Services
  • Daniel Hindes, Chief Operating Officer, ClearWell Dynamics
  • Ryan Phillips, Chairman & CEO, Axis Energy Services
  • Carl Brooks, Global Wells Manager – Well Servicing, ExxonMobil
  • Matt Hooker, EVP, Well Services, Ranger Energy Services

BREAK 9:50 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.                 

9:55 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.       Well Stimulation Panel

  • Ben Poppel, Director of Engineering and Executive Sales, Liberty Energy
  • Shelby Fietz, Chief Commercial Officer, ProPetro
  • Nick Ruppelt, Chief Operating Officer, Evolution Well Services

BREAK 10:40 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.   

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.                  Wireline Panel

  • Moderator: Ray Brown, Partner, PPHB
  • Kyle Godtel, Vice President, Silvertip Completion Services
  • Bob Kern, Business Development Manager, SLB

BREAK 11:15 a.m. – 11:20 a.m.   

11:20 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.      Manufacturing Panel

  • Neal Lux, President & CEO, F-E-T
  • Moderator: Bill Austin, Managing Partner, Daniel Energy Partners

Noon- 1 p.m.                  Safety Awards Luncheon

1 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.               SecureWell Panel

  • Moderator: Matt Hooker, EVP, Well Services, Ranger Energy Services
  • Ken Houston, Vice President HSE and Operational Excellence, Key Energy Services

1:45 p.m. – 2:05 p.m.          SecureWell PIC Course Presentation 

  • Ken Houston, Vice President HSE and Operational Excellence, Key Energy Services

2:05 p.m. – 2: 50 p.m.         Rig Operator Certification Panel

  • Mikey Hopkins, Founder & Vice President, Ranger Energy Services

BREAK 2:50 p.m. -3 p.m.

3 p.m. – 3:20 p.m.               Wireline Presentation

  • Bob Kern, Business Development Manager, SLB

3:20 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.          P&A Presentation

  • Dave Conroy, Chief Technical Officer, RelyOn 
  • Tommy McWilliams, Partner and Vice President, Production Services, Inc. (PSI)

3:40 p.m. –  4:25 p.m.         Well Stimulation Gas Handling Panel

  • Moderator: Eric Bengston, Liberty Power Innovations
  • Hannah Leura, Senior Process Engineer, PROPWR

4:30 p.m.                         Adjourn

Sponsors

Title Sponsor

Breakfast Sponsor

Coffee Sponsor

Media Partners

World Oil
Endeavor Business Media

Strategic Partners

Chevron
SLB

For more information, please contact Peggy Helfert.

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