Oilman Magazine July/August 2022 loading...
THE MAGAZINE FOR LEADERS IN AMERICAN ENERGY
July / August 2022
Randy Nichols, Founder & CEO, Cinco Energy Management Group
End-to-End SaaS ERP Solutions
THE MAGAZINE FOR LEADERS IN AMERICAN ENERGY
July / August 2022
OilmanMagazine.com
Randy Nichols, Founder & CEO, Cinco Energy Management Group
End-to-End SaaS ERP Solutions
Oilman Magazine / July-August 2022 / OilmanMagazine.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
Letter from the Publisher PAGE 2
OILMAN Contributors PAGE 2
OILMAN Online PAGE 3
Industry Data PAGE 3
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
How Are Digital Technologies Helping
Reduce Emissions in Oil and Gas?
PAGE 4
INNOVATION
Every “Aha” Moment Requires
Genuine Follow-Through to Achieve
Success PAGE 6
OFFSHORE
Fishing for a Purpose: Retting
Offshore Platforms to Transform the
Planet and the Economy PAGE 8
SAFETY
Booming Business – A Burden on
Safety? PAGE 12
Oilman Cartoon PAGE 13
AI-APPS
Petrochemical Automation Evolves
with Smart Eyes in the Field PAGE 16
SaaS SOLUTIONS
Powering the Digital Oil Field with
Integrated SaaS Field Data Gathering
PAGE 20
ENVIRONMENT
Environmental Strategies That Work
PAGE 30
AUTOMATION
Volatile Markets, Labor Shortages,
ESG – Oh My! Level Up Your Business
Automation Game or Die PAGE 32
NATIONAL ENERGY TALK
Strategic Alignment Provides
Corporate Solutions PAGE 36
SECURITY
Energy Security Fears and The
Hidden Complexities of Drilling Rigs
PAGE 38
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
A Red-Hot Welder Becomes
A Champion Forged In Fire PAGE 40
EXCERPT
An Introduction To The Pulitzer Prize
Nominated Book
“Clean” Energy
Exploitations
PAGE 44
TRANSPORTATION & LOGISTICS
All Roads Lead to Energy PAGE 48
FEATURE
Cinco Energy’s Randy Nichols
Builds A Family Dynasty
PAGE 24
Oilman Magazine / July-August 2022 / OilmanMagazine.com
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JULY AUGUST 2022
PUBLISHER
Emmanuel Sullivan
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Rebecca Ponton
MANAGING EDITOR
Sarah Skinner
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Nick Vaccaro
COPY EDITOR
Shannon West
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Kim Fischer
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Jason Spiess
Mark Stansberry
ADVERTISING SALES
Diana George
Connie Laughlin
SUBSCRIBE
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MAILING ADDRESS
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P.O. Box 42511
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Phone: (800) 562-2340
e-mail: editor@usenergymedia.com
COPYRIGHT
The contents of this publication are copyright
2022 by U.S. Energy Media, LLC, with all rights
restricted. Any reproduction or use of content
without written consent of U.S. Energy Media,
LLC is strictly prohibited.
All information in this publication is
gathered from sources considered to
be reliable, but the accuracy of the
information cannot be guaranteed. Oilman
Magazine reserves the right to edit all
contributed articles. Editorial content does
not necessarily reect the opinions of the
publisher. Any advice given in editorial
content or advertisements should be
considered information only.
Cover photo courtesy of
Cinco Energy Management Group.
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER
CONTRIBUTORS — Biographies
Emmanuel Sullivan, Publisher
Gasoline is up at the pump, as everyone is aware, from the daily
commuter to the truck driver lling up with diesel. Despite
the blame message the Biden administration has hounded
the media with, the price of gas has increased steadily before
the Ukrainian-Russian war started on February 24, 2022. In
February 2021, the national average for gasoline was $2.50,
in August $2.88, in December $3.03 and, as of this writing,
$4.84. To remedy the sudden gas hike, Biden asked OPEC to
produce more oil and initiated formal discussions to ease oil
sanctions with Venezuela and Iran, all in an effort to import
more foreign oil. In addition, he authorized millions of gallons
of oil released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Both requests could have been
averted had the administration abandoned the attack on the domestic oil and gas industry.
Remember, on the campaign trail, Biden said in several discussions that he would end
fossil fuel production. He did that Day One with several executive orders: First, shutting
down the Keystone XL pipeline, then ending oil leases on federal land and offshore, and
implementing regulatory restraints. The rhetoric the media and Wall Street hear from the
Biden administration is to promote renewables over fossil fuel energy and to decrease
investments in the American oil and gas industry. At the moment, in our energy evolution,
renewable and alternative energy need fossil fuel to develop the growing industry. Both
industries need to work together; however, the most important takeaway is oil and gas
production is an inexpensive, reliable energy source. Why alter a vital industry that is
functioning and provides energy security?
Mark A. Stansberry
Mark A. Stansberry, Chairman of The GTD Group, is an award-winning
author, columnist, lm and music producer, radio talk show host and
2009 Western Oklahoma Hall of Fame inductee. Stansberry has written
ve energy-related books. He has been active in the oil and gas industry
for over 44 years, having served as CEO/President of Moore-Stansberry,
Inc., and The Oklahoma Royalty Company. He has served as Chairman
of the Board of Regents of the Regional University System of Oklahoma,
Chairman 2016-2017 of the Gaylord-Pickens Museum/Oklahoma Hall of Fame Board
of Directors, Lifetime Trustee of Oklahoma Christian University, and Board Emeritus of
the Oklahoma Governor’s International Team. He has served on several public and private
boards. He is currently on the advisory board of IngenuitE, Inc.
Jason Spiess
Jason Spiess is an award winning journalist, talk show host, publisher and
executive producer. Spiess has worked in both the radio and print industry
for over 20 years. All but three years of his professional experience,
Spiess was involved in the overall operations of the business as a principal
partner. Spiess is a North Dakota native, Fargo North Alumni and
graduate of North Dakota State University. Spiess moved to the oil patch
in 2012 living and operating a food truck in the parking lot of Macís
Hardware. In addition, Spiess hosted a daily energy lifestyle radio show from the Rolling
Stove food truck. The show was one-of-a-kind in the Bakken oil elds with diverse guest
ranging from U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (WY) to the traveling roadside merchant selling ags to
the local high school football coach talking about this week’s big game.
Oilman Magazine / July-August 2022 / OilmanMagazine.com
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DIGITAL INDUSTRY DATA
Connect with OILMAN anytime at
OILMANMAGAZINE.com and on social media
#OilmanNEWS
Stay updated between issues with weekly reports
delivered online at OilmanMagazine.com
SOCIAL STREAM
Sources: Global Energy Monitor, Global Data, Visual Capitalist; Rextag
Leading Oil Pipeline Developers by Length
of Pipelines Proposed and in Construction
Worldwide as of 2020 (in kilometers)
Forecast Expenditure of Midstream Projects
Worldwide Between 2021 and 2025, by
Segment* (in billion U.S. dollars)
Companies with the Largest Crude Oil
Pipeline Networks in North America as of
February 2022, by Length (in miles)
Oilman Magazine / July-August 2022 / OilmanMagazine.com
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DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
How Are Digital Technologies Helping
Reduce Emissions in Oil and Gas?
By Emily Newton
As people around the world become
increasingly concerned with sustain-
ability, it’s vital that decision-makers in
the oil and gas industry apply practical
techniques to reduce emissions. Here
are some ways digital technologies
could help them.
Improved Methane Monitoring Can
Reduce Emissions
Researchers continually look for better
options for spotting methane emis-
sions caused by leaks. They know
that if people become aware of leaks
sooner, the heightened awareness
would help cut overall emissions.
Some newer solutions to reduce emis-
sions by identifying leaks rely on laser
spectroscopy, along with drones and
small piloted planes that y close to
the potential sources of methane leaks.
Other forward-thinking entrepreneurs
have different approaches. Greg Rieker
is a professor of mechanical engineer-
ing at the University of Colorado Boul-
der and the chief technology ofcer of
LongPath Technologies. His solution is
a frequency comb laser.
“We’ve used this system to pinpoint a
leak to about a 5-square-meter area,
he says. “It’s a question of, when leaks
start, seeing them and sizing them
properly so we can alert an operator
[that] there’s a problem. There are
20,000 wells out there. This is a Colo-
rado-grown solution, using Colorado
technology.” The system can continu-
ously scan an area for weeks or months
at a time, then provide a tally of meth-
ane emissions.
Commercial systems are also available
to reduce emissions, such as the one
recently adopted by Marathon Oil,
which pledged to achieve a 60 percent
drop in methane emissions by 2025,
and an 80 percent reduction by 2030. It
Photo courtesy of Patrick Hendry, Unsplash.