American Oil and Gas Reporter - December 2022 - 25

Recap Of 2022
Illustrates Industry
Is Getting Busy
" Thematically, this year has been all
It seems like only yesterday I was writing my December
2021 column. At the same time, December 2021 feels like an
eternity ago. Every year around this time, I take a quick look
back at what I have seen in the industry and highlight some of
the topics that have sparked my attention. One word comes to
mind today as I look at 2022: busy! That applies not only to me,
personally, although it has been a hectic year. Everyone I know
in the industry has been running and gunning for the last six
months, if not longer. So what does all this mean? Oil and gas
will not be going away anytime soon.
Remember when folks started to breathe again in January
and stepped back into the world to do business? My January
column discussed a post-COVID outlook and how conference
and training attendees had begun to make their way back into
public events. Next, I mentioned the massive reshuffling of jobs
and the many mergers and acquisitions. I finally have updated
most of my contact information after so many people have
changed positions several times. Finally, I wrote, " All in all,
2022 is primed to be a year of innovation and optimization in
the field and the back office. " What do you think? Did that
happen? I suggest that the gears of innovation are turning again,
and with any luck, we will see some very cool deployments of
technology in the year ahead.
The technologies that I have seen deployed mostly have
been tied to environmental, social and governance considerations.
In February, I wrote, " Operators already see combined
cost savings and improved safety numbers, then add in modern
ESG emphasis. The time is ripe for companies to take
advantage of new technology. " ESG remains a vital element
of the modern oil industry. However, I suspect the term's
popularity has begun to fade as a marketing tactic in place of
actual companies documenting and reporting their ongoing
ESG efforts. Much of this work already was going on, but
now we are discussing it.
The next several months were exciting as I began heading
back to my regular haunts and visited a few new events for the
first time since COVID. It was great to be back in person. In
February, the Society of Petroleum Engineers Hydraulic Fracturing
Technology Conference came back, and I stand by my words
that it is still one of the oil and gas industry's best-attended and
technically sound events. In March, the Society of Petroleum
Engineers Gulf Coast Section Permian Basin Study Group
hosted the annual Permian Basin Summit in Houston with more
than 150 participants, including petroleum engineers, scientists,
academics, managers and financial executives.
I also attended a session called " Perspectives on the Pathway
from Invention to Value Delivery: A Moderated Discussion
from the Startup and Investor Perspective " in Houston. The
following month, I returned to the Unconventional Resources
Technology Technology Conference. All these have proven to
be standouts in the world of organizing events and stirring attendees'
interest. I hear rumblings indicating that many companies
want to do fewer shows and emphasize smaller local
over the place; however, I see an industry
happy to be back, working and content
for the coming year.
"
events. I have seen this trend among some of the folks I work
with, and we will see how this plays out in 2023.
I hit one of those significant milestones in my personal life in
June, turning 50. I still swear I don't feel a day over 35-well,
maybe 38 after this year. Either way, I am still excited to be
around and get the chance to hear and tell our industry's stories.
This fall, I spent some time learning about frac fluid and
fluid design, specifically the resurgence of using guar as the
base component in frac fluid design over polyacrylamides. The
short answer boils down to the fact that guar is natural and inexpensive.
Later, I discussed the extent to which conservative
spending and optimization are emerging as keys to successful
operations, even in the midst of an industry upswing.
Thematically, this year has been all over the place; however,
I see an industry happy to be back, working and content for the
coming year. As we look to 2023, be sure to take a moment to
be grateful for all that we have experienced and proud of where
we are headed, as we once again prove that the American oil
and gas industry-despite political rhetoric and international
peacocking-is still a force to be reckoned with. Happy holidays
and I wish you all a happy and profitable new year.
❒
JEREMY VISCOMI is a strategic
marketing expert for the oil and
gas industry. Among his many
roles, he serves as the MidContinent
regional lead for the
Petroleum Technology Transfer
Council, providing independent
operators with access to emerging
technology aimed at reducing
risk and growing profits.
DECEMBER 2022 25
American Oil and Gas Reporter - December 2022

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