Faces of Energy

If I could let people know what it is like to work in an oil company, I think they’d be surprised to know how much technology we use or how much communications it takes to go from the very early stages of a field development to actually successfully producing out of the field.

Andy Popielski is a senior geophysicist for ConocoPhillips.

Energy is an important and ever-changing issue and we will continue to struggle to be good stewards of the earth and make our resources last for generations to come. The students we teach today will soon be in charge, hence the value in ensuring they understand energy issues.

Kim Moats-Barnes is a retired teacher and NEED workshop facilitator.

Our company and other companies in the industry are really focused on making sure we do develop responsibly, and we take safety very seriously. It’s a core to our business and a key commitment.

Misty Alexa is the ConocoPhillips Manager of Operations on the western North Slope.

The term ‘Power in Cooperation’ to me means being collaborative at many different levels. As a team you can accomplish more than as individuals. To solve any challenges, to find real solutions, we have to work in a collaborative fashion. It’s really about education, conversation and respect.

Louis Salazar is the ConocoPhillips Stakeholder Relations director in the Rockies. He works with people and communities near where we operate.

There's much, much more opportunity for people around here than there ever has been. You see a new concrete pad for a business just about every day, they’re building new schools – the counties in the Eagle Ford are growing and prospering in a way that you couldn't even imagine 10 years ago.

Glynis Holm Strause is the ConocoPhillips Eagle Ford Stakeholder Relations advisor in Texas, a role that allows her to “listen and talk to people in communities."

The natural geology of the Bakken and the Williston Basin provide a safe separation of the Bakken frack zone from surface water. ConocoPhillips optimizes this wellbore placement, safely producing oil and gas and providing for our nation’s energy freedom.

The industry has helped build infrastructure, sustain rural communities, create greater educational opportunities and improve the quality of life for North Dakotans. During economic slowdowns let’s stay focused on the economic drivers that build better and stronger businesses and create new, robust enterprises.

The Bakken is a world-class resource that has helped grow our state’s economy, create jobs and strengthen our nation’s energy security. Companies like ConocoPhillips have brought new residents that are strengthening the fabrics of our communities and enabling a brighter future for our state.

The Eagle Ford Shale has been a blessing. We were a very poor county, mostly farm and ranch land. People can now do things they’ve never been able to do, such as take better care of their families and upgrade their homes, farms and ranches.

E&P investments have fueled social mobility in our community, because most supporting businesses are family-run, and many are minority-owned. Well-paying jobs and the contagious entrepreneurial spirit of the oilfield have enabled thousands of families to realize their versions of the American Dream.

Oil and Gas is the back bone to our modern society. Without it we step back 300 to 400 years.

Jim Daniels lives in Midland, TX.

I know that our ranchers and people who have been involved with ConocoPhillips understand their commitment to our land and communities. They do their job, produce the product that they want to produce, yet leave the land in the same or better condition as before. They’ve also improved the community.

Jeanie Knezek is a native of Yoakum, Texas, and has worked at the Yoakum National Bank for almost 47 years.

During the recent economic downturn, so many Americans found good quality jobs in the energy sector. In the Arctic, ConocoPhillips has been successful providing jobs and protecting the land. I wish this story could be told to a larger audience.

William Essary has worked at the Kuparuk River Unit on Alaska’s North Slope for the past 18 years.

Energy needs worldwide will continue to grow and unfortunately many energy suppliers are in a very unstable area of the world. The United States must take the lead in energy production and be a major energy supplier both domestically and internationally, showing strength politically and economically.

John Steininger has worked in the oil and gas industry in Saudi Arabia for over 23 years. He lives in Port Orange, FL.

We just finished a 4,400-mile road trip across the western U.S. We saw expansive solar panel installations, wind turbines on the plains, new oil and gas wells and construction of high-voltage power transmission systems. Affordable gasoline made this trip to hike our national parks possible.

Sarah Edman recently retired after 34 years working in the oil and gas industry, serving in a range of roles including government and public policy.

We all have something to do with oil and gas. Our county has the only oil refinery in Colorado, and there are about another 200 businesses in the area that depend on it. We all need petroleum to make the case for the phone that you carry in your pocket or anything else you use that's made of plastic.

Barry Gore is the president and CEO of Adams County Economic Development.

Financially the oil industry has helped us a whole lot, making sure we have everything we need to handle the needs of the community. They say, ‘What can we do? What do you need? What can we do to help you?’ Everything from the monitors, to a foam trailer and a water tanker, they've given us what we've asked for.

Charlie Malik is the Karnes City Fire chief. He has lived in Karnes City, Texas, his entire life and is a small business owner.

I want people to understand why it is we do what we do and that we are taking the time and effort to do it properly and safely. And I always say, ‘Look, my family and I live here too. It's not like I make my money in Colorado and have my job in Colorado and live somewhere else.’

Brian Swendsen is the operations manager for the South Niobrara for Wood Group PSN, an energy services company.

I want my son to be able to rely on an abundance of energy in the future, whether it be from fossil fuels or from renewable sources. I need him to grow up in a comfortable environment, knowing that he doesn't have to feel nervous or scared about what his next source of energy will be.

Simon Lee is a process mechanical lead engineer currently supporting the development of new facilities in the Eagle Ford field.

Energy impacts all of us. It doesn't matter what political party you're a part of; it doesn't matter what your background is. And it doesn't matter what your socioeconomic status is. It is a global issue that is important to our quality of lives and impacts our daily lives.

Jaclyn Popeil is a senior landman at ConocoPhillips in our Gulf Coast Business Unit. She is responsible for overseeing our Louisiana asset.

The Eagle Ford shale has allowed us to better our educational system - my son and daughter go to a brand new high school. It has allowed us at the county level to beef up and create some services that we weren't able to deliver or if we did deliver, they weren't delivered as they needed to be.

Jim Huff is Live Oak, Texas, county judge, currently serving his 28th year in the role.