Journally Speaking: Keeping it together

The oil and gas industry rises to its challenges like few others. Whether something needs to be expanded, accelerated, contained, remediated, or just plain figured out, the answer has rarely, if ever, been “we can’t do that,” even if it’s never been done before. Time pressure? All the better. We’ve got other things we need to figure out anyway.

Among the many positive side-effects of this sort of approach is the collaboration it can foster. Sometimes fierce competition yields the best results; no less so in oil and gas than any other business. At other times, however, the most effective way forward is together.

The on-going coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has forced the rethinking of just about every process that requires people coming together in person. Industry conferences and association meetings are among the activities most heavily impacted, with almost all such events either cancelled or moved to a virtual platform. Education has also had to retool its approach. As I write, my daughter is in the next room attending school online.

Earlier this year, the Pipeliners Young Professionals (PYP) of Houston, an offshoot of the Pipeliners Association of Houston (PAH), recognized the need for its members to continue their professional education despite COVID-19. Many members of both organizations had already taken pipeline technology courses from the University of Texas at Austin’s Petroleum Extension (PETEX) in Houston, prompting PYP-PAH to contact PETEX about the possibility of converting the courses into an online format.

In late 2019, PETEX began creating an online version of its Pipeline Technology-Design course (the first of three, also including Pipeline Technology-Operations, and Pipeline Technology-Maintenance), making it available to PAH members July 1, 2020, through the PETEX learning management system. PAH subject matter experts helped develop and review the content with PETEX. The two organizations plan to discuss providing the second and third installments of the series soon.

Dr. Eric Roe, executive director of PETEX and assistant dean for continuing engineering education at the Cockrell School of Engineering said “there is no better way to ensure industry success than a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. Industry associations have always looked for ways to make sure their members and member companies have the tools to succeed.”

Brandy Roberts, PAH past president said “we see tons of value just by being able to partner with PETEX, because it will draw the attention of the younger professionals to want to join our association, which in turn will likely secure our organization’s future.” She also pointed out that the knowledge they gain strengthens the industry as a whole.

Ties that bind

I’ve taken PETEX courses and been a member of PAH for 15 years. At my very first association meeting I met Tom Miesner, then former president of Conoco Pipe Line Co. and now founder of Pipeline Knowledge & Development (PKD). Pipeline Knowledge, from which I’ve also taken classes, offers a variety of instructor-led virtual training programs, covering everything from construction to control-room operations.

This is how the act of connecting works; people come together through their various organizations to not just do business but to learn from one another. People who are students in one room can be teachers in the next.

Executives, educators, journalists, engineers, sales people; there isn’t an enterprise on earth that doesn’t need or provide one of these kinds of people. Groups like PAH bring them together. Organizations such as PETEX and PKD provide them the sort of ongoing interdisciplinary training they need to continue to progress in their careers.

There will be a time when we’re all together again. Until then, take advantage of the services being provided by these organizations and others like them, both to maintain the contacts you’ve developed and continue to develop yourself.