Oilfield service companies come in all shapes and sizes. While competition is most certainly fierce, it may also be fair to say that no two service companies are exactly alike. They are far-ranging in size, in scope, and in their offerings. Separate from active drilling operations, but practically indispensible to the practice of drilling, service […]
The Broader Picture | May 2016
EIA Mar. 30 The profitability of oil and natural gas development activity depends on both the prices realized by producers and the cost and productivity of newly developed wells… Costs per well generally increased from 2006 to 2012, demonstrating the effect of rapid growth in drilling activity. Since 2012, costs per well have decreased […]
How the Workforce is Changing, Part 3: Change is Inevitable
by Shanti Terry “Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it.” – Malcolm X After transferring to Texas A&M as a sophomore, one of the first things my roommates suggested I purchase was a pair of rain boots. I scoffed at the idea. Having been […]
The Shifting Dynamics of Cyber Security
By Shanti Terry Editor’s Note: We share the following as our “Part 2” coverage on the topic of Cyber Security, continuing the conversation that was begun in the September issue, in the article titled “Navigating the Cyber Security World.” Although gaining more awareness and fully understanding the questions around cyber attacks is vitally important, the […]
How the Workforce is Changing, Part 2: Employers Have Changed
By Shanti Terry As the workforce for the oil and gas industry change and adapt over time, employers for the industry are finding that they too have to evolve. According to the experts interviewed for this second look into why today is not your grandfather’s oilfield, some things have stayed the same, but most are […]
After the Black Gold Rush
Some layoffs, efficiency improvements, and price decreases keep area dirt movers from being buried alive. By Paul Wiseman “This slowdown has been different [from the 2009 downturn] because it has affected a lot more people this time,” said Nick Tomlin, vice president of Big D Companies. With approximately 280 employees, Big D is one of […]
Ready for Takeoff
The sky’s the limit as business travel, emergency response, surveillance, aviation, and oil industries intersect on multiple fronts. By Julie Anderson One industry drills down while the other climbs up. One taps into dark holes, while the other seeks stillness and sunlight. One is controlled by workers comfortable with the dust and grime, while […]
Bowed But Not Beaten Part Three
In our concluding Part 3 of this series, we arrive at the take-aways. Some are bitter medicine, others are rather more palatable. The dip that the Permian Basin has felt since last fall will soon go into its second year, and some “new normals” are emerging, but they’re not all bad. by Jesse Mullins As […]
Getting and Keeping People
Increasingly, it is described as the biggest challenge facing companies in the Permian Basin. Recruitment and retention of qualified personnel is high on everyone’s list. High on energy companies’ lists and—because of that boom—high on the list of all other industries and services across the Basin regions of Texas and New Mexico. Here’s how to […]
Well Completion from a Human Perspective
By Bill Price As we arrive at this third installment of our three-part series covering the human resources function as it relates to the three main stages of oil and gas production (namely, prospecting, drilling, and completion/collection of a well), we find ourselves dealing with the final stage, completion/collection. And for our purposes here, […]