The OILMAN Magazine Preview: Thomas Haden Church, Jimmy Nelson, Casey Hutto and Chocolate Lizards
Latest issue of The OILMAN Magazine features a Harvard educated actor turned newly minted roughneck.
Here are the features, articles and insights from the April Edition of The OilMan Magazine now available to the public:
Made in Texas
When Abilene, Texas, author Cole Thompson wrote his debut novel, Chocolate Lizards (a reference to the dark brown lizard skinned boots his protagonist, Merle Luskey, a down on his luck oil and gas operator, eventually bestows upon his protégé, Erwin Vandeveer, a Harvard educated actor turned newly minted roughneck (landman in the movie version), he never could have envisioned that the film adaptation would hit the big screen on the 25th anniversary of the book’s publication.
In a serendipitous turn of events, it coincides with the release of Thompson’s second literary endeavor, The Freudian Cowboy, described as a ballad-verse “memoir” by Texas bronc rider Hitch Givens. Warning: The book comes with a content warning due to Givens’ predilection for recounting his life experiences – “and often does so with rustic vulgarity.”
Click here for the cover story
Jimmy Nelson, Owner Nelson Oil and Gas, Pettus, Texas
“We’ve been in the oil field in Pettus, Texas, a long time – over 45 years – so we’ve seen the ups and downs, that’s...
“We’ve been in the oil field in Pettus, Texas, a long time – over 45 years – so we’ve seen the ups and downs, that’s for sure. My dad has been in the business all his life and started Yegua Oilfield Service, a workover rig company. My two brothers and I started Nelson Oil and Gas (N.O.G.), but the downward turns in the ‘80s were almost a killer for all of us. What my dad did was pretty smart. He started buying stripper wells, so we always had something to fall back on. When things really slowed down, that income saved our a** a bunch of times. You can’t rely on customers all the time and it’s a small town, so it worked out really well for us.
A friend of mine, David Martin Phillip, was a partner of my dad’s years ago in his wells and so he knew the family history. What David does is he finds things. For instance, if somebody needs these old cars for a certain scene of a movie or there’s a certain way a movie needs to be set up, people in the industry would reach out to him. Mark Bristol, the director of Accidental Texan, and Koen Wooten, the producer, went to David and said, “Hey, we’re looking for a drilling rig for a scene in the movie. You know anybody?”
Casey Hutto, Owner Santa Rosa Well Service, Midland, Texas
“My dad had a well service and we drilled water wells all over West Texas and up into the San Antonio area. In 2010, I came to Midland and bought a friend of the family, Gene Wheeler’s, water well drilling company from him – just a rig and the pulling unit. They had been doing vertical wells, but fracking was really starting to take off. They were using a lot more water on the fracks on the horizontal wells and so the water well business was absolutely insane.
I ended up having four rigs and we were drilling water wells for Pioneer Resources and all the majors. I went from a little Mom and Pop to a pretty damn big company.
Cole Thompson, Author of Chocolate Lizards
“I used to be in the oil business. I’ve been teaching college English now for about 20 years. I got lucky and got a full time job at McMurry University here in Abilene as a creative writing teacher. It’s exciting and it fits better with my true self.
My father, John R. Thompson, graduated from Oklahoma University with a petroleum engineering degree in 1951 and went to work for Schlumberger.
Improving Cybersecurity For Operational Technology In Energy Infrastructure
Energy infrastructure plays a critical role in both local and global stability, putting the oil and gas industry under considerable pressure to ensure everything runs smoothly. At the same time, this essential role makes it an appealing target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt operations, cause real-world harm or get hefty ransomware payouts.
However, operators in this industry face complex cybersecurity challenges due to the convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT), a complex supply chain, increasing regulatory requirements, legacy OT systems, and removable media risks. Yet managing today’s challenging industrial control systems (ICS) threat landscape is far from optional, so how can organizations improve cybersecurity and safeguard energy infrastructure?
Bringing Methane Emissions to Record Lows With AI-Powered Geospatial Analytics
A recent report from Texans for Natural Gas (TNG) brought the encouraging news that, in 2022, Texas producers drove methane intensity to a record low of 0.12 percent. This is a positive trend as governments are striving to lower methane emissions.
This report comes at a crucial time, as in November of 2023, the COP28 conference generated widespread enthusiasm around the detection and remediation of methane leaks as a way of meeting new emissions goals. During the COP28 conference, according to Reuters, the EPA unveiled a new set of rules for the oil and gas and energy industries – asking that these industries slash methane emissions by 30 percent by the end of the decade and keep roughly 58 million tons of methane out of the atmosphere over the next fourteen years – a number nearly equivalent to all 2021 carbon dioxide emissions from the power sector.
A Decade of Energy Issues and Views
The spring of 2024 marks the 10th anniversary of this column. I want to thank Emmanuel Sullivan, publisher of OILMAN Magazine, Editor-in-Chief Rebecca Ponton, and all those associated with the magazine for their support and encouragement, as well as my appreciation to all the readers of my column throughout the years and to those readers who have provided input, comments and suggestions.
During this decade of time, I was fortunate to write two additional books and a monograph entitled “America Needs America’s Energy and Its Natural Resources.” The documentary film, Sherwood Forest: Top Secret, was released in 2022 and received a Heartland Emmy nomination in 2023. It was an honor to serve as a producer of the film. My appreciation to all those who supported and encouraged us and viewed the film along the way.
Revolutionizing Upstream Oil and Gas Services: Unveiling the Potential of Generative Adversarial Networks
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is a cutting-edge innovation that can generate and consume original content without any human intervention. This content could be anything from language and visual creations to audio and full-length videos. The possibilities are endless.
This separates it from conventional machine learning algorithms that rely on existing data to categorize and draw inferences. According to the research report, the global generative AI market size was estimated at USD 10.63 billion in 2022 and is expected to reach USD 200.73 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 34.2 percent during the forecast period.
As per an Ernst & Young survey, 92 percent of global oil and gas companies are investing in or plan to invest in AI within the next two years.
Good Chemistry Bonds XPC Water with Orion Water Solutions
Multiple factors point to a successful 2024 for the oil and gas industry, with many betting on niche services. With the drive to enhance current services and increase efficiency, the service sector alone is well-positioned to prosper. Offering the best in service and beating the competition will secure business and establish relationships.
Still, the critical component of the equation is finding that particular service or meeting that individual need that levies such a magnitude of success in driving up profits that the end user can only function with it.
In Memory of Gerald Boelte
OILMAN Magazine would like to honor Mr. Gerald A. Boelte, chairman and founder of LLOG Exploration Company, LLC, who unexpectedly passed away on February 22, 2024, as the result of a single-vehicle accident on private land. The industry mourns his loss.
In a statement released by LLOG, Philip LeJeune, president and CEO, said, “Jerry founded LLOG in 1977 and guided it for the past 45-plus years. He was a friend and mentor to us all, and his passing is a tremendous loss for LLOG and the entire energy industry. Our love, thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this sad time.”
Boelte, 77, is survived by his wife, two siblings, five children and their spouses, and twelve grandchildren. After obtaining a BS in Petroleum Engineering from Louisiana State University, Boelte entered the oil and gas industry and “grew to become an industry leader in exploration and discovery of oil and gas reserves.”
Click here to read the entire In Memory
OILMAN Magazine is the premier source for industry insights, featuring in-depth articles, interviews, and oil and gas market analysis. OILMAN Magazine is published by U.S. Energy Media.
U.S. Energy Media is a leading digital media platform dedicated to providing insightful and engaging content for professionals in the energy industry. With a focus on the oil and gas sector, renewable energy, and the achievements of women in the energy field, our digital magazines offer a comprehensive view of the latest trends, technologies, and career opportunities in the energy sector.
Click here for U.S. Energies Media website.
For those interested in more information on OILMAN Magazine or to set up a marketing call, contact Connie Laughlin at 800-562-2340 #7 or connielaughlinconsulting@gmail.com
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