The two-day Oil and Gas 101 seminar, sponsored by HMH, kicked off last week, offering a comprehensive overview of the industry for both seasoned professionals and newcomers. Hosted by the Emerging Executives committee, the seminar brought together a range of industry leaders to cover critical topics such as exploration, drilling, refining, and economics.
Energy Workforce Advisory Board member Elizabeth Stephens, VP of North America Sales at HMH, welcomed participants and provided a safety briefing. This was followed by an industry overview delivered by Molly Determan, President of the Energy Workforce & Technology Council (EWTC). Determan introduced the Council’s background and mission, offering attendees a preview of the key topics they would explore during the seminar, the types of companies that are represented within each subsector and an overview of recent workforce trends.
The first session began with an Energy Market Outlook presented by Anthony Thomas, Managing Director of Energy & Power Investment Banking at Piper Sandler, which offered insights into current market dynamics, future energy demand trends, and the impact of global economic factors on the oil and gas industry. Ayodeji Daramola followed with a History of the Industry, giving participants a comprehensive look at the evolution of the oil and gas sector and key milestones that have shaped its development.
Participants then shifted their focus to the upstream sector, attending sessions such as Geology and Seismic led by Andrew Yole, Geophysical Consultant at Chevron, who discussed the role of geological surveys and seismic technologies in identifying viable drilling locations. Tom Yost, Business & Technology Development Manager at NOV, delivered a detailed presentation on Rig Systems and Drilling the Well, exploring the technical complexities of modern drilling equipment and the process of drilling from start to finish. The day concluded with a Completions and Flow Equipment presentation by Michael Dardis, Multistage Stimulation Product Champion at SLB, where he discussed the methods and technologies used to complete wells and ensure efficient production flow.
On the second day, the seminar covered a range of advanced industry topics. Bryan Shires, Director of Sales and Business Development for Energy Transition at Baker Hughes, kicked off the day with a presentation on Innovation in Oil & Gas, highlighting cutting-edge technologies such as digital solutions, automation, and AI, which are driving efficiency and sustainability in oil and gas operations. Daring Bohlmann, Product Marketing Manager at Caterpillar Oil & Gas, followed with Energy Sources That Power the Oilfield, where he detailed the various power generation solutions used to support oilfield operations. Craig Ferguson, Director of Wells at TechnipFMC, provided insights on Subsea Infrastructure, explaining the vital components and challenges of developing subsea systems for offshore oil and gas extraction.
Later in the day, the focus shifted to midstream and downstream aspects of the industry. Anthony Palermo, Vice President of Sales at Kodiak Gas Services., presented on Midstream, covering the transportation, storage, and processing of oil and gas from extraction sites to refineries. Brie Cooper, Operations Coordinator at Chevron, covered Refining, where she discussed the processes and technologies involved in converting crude oil into usable products like gasoline, diesel, and petrochemicals. Bahar Cooper, Director of Ocean Product Services at Crane Worldwide Logistics, wrapped up the segment with a session on Supply Chain, addressing the logistics and operational challenges of managing the global movement of equipment, materials, and products in the energy sector.
The seminar concluded with a presentation by Chuck Chauviere, Chief Operations Officer at HMH, who addressed the Future of the Industry. Chauviere emphasized why the work of the participants matters, discussing the critical role their efforts play in shaping the future of energy. He highlighted the importance of innovation and collaboration in addressing global energy challenges and how their contributions will influence the direction of the industry in the years to come.
The event was organized by Emerging Executive committee members who facilitated the seminar including Chair Ayodeji Daramola; Ian Falik, Director of Investment Banking at Piper Sandler; Nate King, Director of Sales at NOV; Jordan West, Sales Representative at MustangCAT; Bryan Clements, Corporate Account Manager at Caterpillar; Andrew Kuchta, Strategic Planning Manager at Forum Energy Technologies; and Angelle Esparza, Director of Human Resources at Solaris Energy Infrastructure.
Congratulations to all participants!
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Britney Turcios, Marketing Specialist, writes about the Energy Workforce & Technology Council. Click here to subscribe to the Energy Workforce newsletter, which highlights sector-specific issues, best practices, activities and more.
