Oil and Gas 101: The Basics [Without Technical Terms]

Summary

In this engaging podcast transcript, the host and guest Justin Gautier delve into the world of energy, specifically the oil and gas industry. They discuss the importance of educating the public about the sector's inner workings and its significant role in daily life. Justin shares his experiences in the field, the common misconceptions about the industry, and the importance of environmental protection and land reclamation. The conversation highlights the need for energy independence and security, and the role of innovation in addressing energy poverty and sustainability. Justin's anecdote about asking for time off while cleaning a bathroom adds a touch of humor to the discussion, emphasizing the human aspect of the industry.

Takeaways

• 📘 The importance of asking basic questions about energy to gain a better understanding and dispel misconceptions.
• 💡 The goal of educating people outside the oil and gas industry to help move the needle on energy knowledge and awareness.
• 🌐 The challenge of explaining complex energy topics, like oil and gas, in a simple and digestible manner to the general public.
• 🏠 A personal anecdote about explaining the oil and gas industry to someone with no prior knowledge, highlighting the need for clear communication.
• 🔍 The breakdown of the oil and gas industry into three main components: upstream (extraction), midstream (transportation), and downstream (refining and selling).
• 💡 The importance of connecting energy topics to everyday life, such as explaining how gasoline is derived from oil extracted from the ground.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Sharing personal stories and experiences to help others understand the role and impact of the oil and gas industry on daily life.
• 🌍 The global demand for oil and gas and its role in creating a wide range of products beyond energy, including plastics and fertilizers.
• 🌱 The focus on environmental protection and land reclamation within the oil and gas industry, emphasizing efforts to minimize environmental impact.
• 🚀 The potential for the next generation to appreciate and understand the oil and gas industry more, thanks to education and open dialogue.
• 🤔 The consideration of energy policy and security when making decisions, such as voting, and the importance of being informed on these issues.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the podcast 'Energy 101'?

The main theme of 'Energy 101' is to ask basic questions about energy and educate people who are not familiar with the topic, with a focus on oil and gas, in order to dispel misconceptions and promote understanding.

How does Justin Gautier view the importance of educating people outside the oil and gas industry?

Justin Gautier believes that educating people outside the oil and gas industry is crucial for moving the needle and creating a broader understanding of the industry's role and challenges. He emphasizes the need to communicate effectively and simply to ensure that the information is digestible and accessible.

What was the experience of the guest from San Francisco who moved to Houston for real estate and entrepreneurship?

The guest from San Francisco, who had no prior knowledge of oil and gas, moved to Houston for real estate and entrepreneurship. Initially, he associated oil and gas with electricity companies and had misconceptions about the industry. However, after a conversation with Justin, he gained a better understanding of the industry's importance and its role in creating everyday products and energy.

How does Justin Gautier explain the oil and gas industry to someone unfamiliar with it?

Justin Gautier explains the oil and gas industry by breaking it down into three main components: upstream (drilling and extraction), midstream (transportation and processing), and downstream (selling to consumers). He uses simple examples, like the production of gasoline from crude oil, to illustrate the process and importance of the industry.

What is the significance of the petrochemical side of the oil and gas industry?

The petrochemical side of the oil and gas industry is significant because it provides the raw materials for a wide range of products, from plastics to fertilizers. This side of the industry is expected to see significant growth in demand as global economies continue to evolve and the need for various goods increases.

How does Justin Gautier approach explaining complex topics like energy to his young daughter?

Justin Gautier uses simple analogies and relatable examples to explain complex topics to his young daughter. He starts with the basics, like the importance of energy in everyday life, and gradually introduces more complex concepts, such as how oil and gas are used to create electricity and other products.

What is the common misconception about the oil and gas industry that Justin Gautier addresses?

The common misconception that Justin Gautier addresses is that the oil and gas industry is solely focused on making money at the expense of the environment. He counters this by highlighting the industry's efforts in environmental protection, land reclamation, and the development of technologies to minimize environmental impact.

How does the oil and gas industry contribute to energy security and independence?

The oil and gas industry contributes to energy security and independence by producing energy domestically, reducing reliance on foreign sources, and ensuring a stable supply of energy resources. This helps to maintain a degree of control over energy supplies and reduces vulnerability to geopolitical tensions.

What is the importance of public understanding of the energy industry for policy-making and voting?

Public understanding of the energy industry is important for policy-making and voting as it enables informed decision-making. A basic understanding of energy issues can help individuals make better choices when voting for leaders and policies that affect energy production, consumption, and environmental impact.

What is the role of social media platforms like TikTok in educating the public about the energy industry?

Social media platforms like TikTok can play a significant role in educating the public about the energy industry by providing accessible and engaging content. They allow industry experts like Colin to explain complex topics in simple terms, reach a wider audience, and correct misconceptions in an approachable manner.

What was Justin Gautier's most embarrassing moment in his career?

Justin Gautier's most embarrassing moment was when he was working on a drilling rig and asked his boss for time off while cleaning the bathroom. He did not approach his boss through the proper channels, which he now reflects on as an awkward and inappropriate situation.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Introduction and Purpose of Energy 101

The paragraph introduces the concept of Energy 101, a platform aimed at asking basic questions about energy to debunk misconceptions and educate people on the topic. The host acknowledges the lack of consensus on energy themes and welcomes the guest, Justin Gautier, to discuss his experiences and insights on the energy sector. The conversation touches on the importance of educating those outside the echo chamber of the industry and the host shares an anecdote about a conversation with a parent from San Francisco who had limited understanding of oil and gas, highlighting the need for better public education on the subject.

05:00

💡 The Importance of Education in Oil and Gas

Justin Gautier emphasizes the need to educate people about the oil and gas industry, especially those not familiar with it. He shares a story of how a real estate entrepreneur from Oklahoma, who initially had a negative perception of the industry, changed his view after engaging with content from Gautier's podcast. The discussion underscores the importance of simple explanations and the impact it can have on shaping public opinion. Gautier also mentions the significance of explaining the industry in a way that is easily digestible, using the example of how he explained the oil and gas process to a layperson.

10:02

🌱 Misconceptions and the Role of Oil and Gas

The conversation delves into the common misconceptions about the oil and gas industry, such as the belief that companies only aim to exploit the earth and make profits. Gautier shares an anecdote about a guest on his podcast who dispelled these misconceptions after learning more about the industry. The discussion highlights the importance of understanding the role of oil and gas in everyday life, from the production of goods to the generation of electricity. Gautier also touches on the industry's efforts to minimize environmental impact and the need for public awareness of these efforts.

15:02

🚀 Simplifying Complex Concepts for the General Public

Gautier discusses the challenge of simplifying complex energy concepts for the general public. He shares his approach to explaining the oil and gas industry to his young daughter, using the example of charging a phone to illustrate the source of energy. The conversation emphasizes the need to demystify the industry and make it relatable to everyday life. Gautier also talks about the importance of making the industry visible to those who do not see the infrastructure, such as rigs and pump jacks, and the role of oil and gas in powering modern life.

20:03

🌐 The Impact of Social Media on Energy Education

The paragraph discusses the influence of social media on public perception and education about the energy industry. Gautier recounts a personal experience of creating a TikTok account to share his thoughts on oil and gas, leading to a realization about the platform's potential for education. He also highlights the importance of not getting caught up in semantics and focusing on the big picture when explaining complex topics to a general audience. The conversation touches on the role of influencers and experts in shaping public understanding and the need for clear, accessible communication.

25:04

🛠️ The Role of Drilling Fluids in Oil and Gas Extraction

Justin Gautier provides an in-depth explanation of his role in the oil and gas industry, focusing on the importance of drilling fluids. He describes the process of drilling for oil and how fluids are used to maintain pressure and prevent the collapse of the well. Gautier explains the concept of reservoir pressure and the need for fluids with a certain density to keep the hole open during drilling. The discussion also touches on the environmental considerations of drilling, such as the use of water and the industry's efforts to reduce its impact.

30:04

🌍 Environmental Concerns and Industry Efforts

The conversation shifts to address the environmental concerns associated with the oil and gas industry. Gautier discusses the industry's commitment to minimizing environmental impact, including efforts in land reclamation and reducing methane flaring. He shares insights into the industry's focus on environmental protection and the development of technologies to reduce emissions. The discussion also highlights the importance of energy security and the industry's role in ensuring a reliable supply of energy for the country.

35:04

🏭 The Importance of Understanding Energy for Consumers

The paragraph emphasizes the importance of understanding the energy industry for consumers. Gautier argues that knowledge empowers individuals to make informed decisions, whether in their personal lives or when voting. He discusses the impact of energy policies on everyday life, from electricity bills to national security. The conversation also touches on the concept of energy independence and its significance for a country's energy security. Gautier encourages individuals to educate themselves on energy issues to better understand the broader implications on society.

😅 Embarrassing Moments in a Career

Justin Gautier shares an amusing and embarrassing story from his early career in the oil and gas industry. As a young worker on a drilling rig, he recounts an awkward encounter where he asked his boss for time off while cleaning the bathroom. The story highlights the challenges of navigating workplace communication as a newcomer and the importance of understanding workplace norms. Despite the embarrassment, Gautier reflects on the experience with humor and acknowledges the lessons learned from the situation.

Keywords

💡energy industry

The energy industry encompasses the production, distribution, and management of energy resources, including oil, gas, and electricity. In the video, the guest discusses the importance of educating people about the industry to dispel misconceptions and promote a better understanding of its role in society, such as providing the energy needed for daily life and economic development.

💡oil and gas

Oil and gas are hydrocarbons extracted from the earth, which are critical in creating energy and are the backbone for almost anything we use. The industry involves drilling and extraction processes, and the products are used not only for fuel but also in the manufacturing of various goods. In the video, the guest explains the oil and gas industry to someone unfamiliar with it, emphasizing its importance in everyday life and the economy.

💡digital wildcatters

Digital wildcatters is a term used to describe individuals or companies that apply technology and innovation to the oil and gas industry, often with the goal of improving efficiency and reducing environmental impact. In the video, the guest expresses support for digital wildcatters, indicating a belief in the potential for technology to positively transform the industry.

💡supply and demand

Supply and demand is an economic principle that describes the relationship between the quantity of a commodity that producers wish to sell at various prices and the quantity that consumers wish to buy. In the context of the video, the guest explains how understanding supply and demand can help clarify why gas prices fluctuate, and that it's not always the oil companies that are to blame for high prices.

💡environmental protection

Environmental protection refers to the various actions taken by individuals, organizations, or governments to prevent or reduce damage to the environment. In the energy industry, this involves efforts to minimize the impact of oil and gas operations on ecosystems, air and water quality, and climate change. The guest in the video emphasizes that environmental protection is a priority for many companies in the oil and gas industry, contrary to some public perceptions.

💡land reclamation

Land reclamation is the process of restoring land that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed by human activities such as mining, drilling, or construction. In the oil and gas industry, this often involves returning land to its original condition or improving it after drilling operations have been completed. The video's guest highlights the importance of land reclamation as a practice within the energy industry, noting that companies are responsible for leaving the land in the same or better condition than before their operations.

💡energy poverty

Energy poverty refers to the lack of access to reliable, affordable, and sufficient energy resources, particularly electricity and modern forms of fuel, for heating, cooking, and transportation. This is a significant issue in many developing countries and can have severe impacts on quality of life, economic development, and health. In the video, the guest emphasizes the importance of addressing energy poverty as a priority, suggesting that ensuring access to energy should be a central goal for the energy industry.

💡petrochemicals

Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum and natural gas at refineries, petrochemical plants, and other facilities. They are the building blocks for a wide range of everyday products, including plastics, synthetic fibers, and fertilizers. The guest in the video mentions the petrochemical side of the oil and gas industry, highlighting its importance in manufacturing various goods that society relies on.

💡energy security

Energy security refers to the reliable and affordable supply of energy resources to meet a country's or region's needs, without undue risk of disruption or external control. It is a critical aspect of national and global security, as well as economic stability. The guest in the video touches on the concept of energy security, discussing the benefits of energy independence and the potential risks of relying on foreign sources for energy supplies.

💡misconceptions

Misconceptions are false or inaccurate understandings of a subject or idea. In the context of the video, the guest addresses common misconceptions about the oil and gas industry, such as the belief that companies only care about profit and environmental destruction, and seeks to correct these through education and open dialogue.

Highlights

The importance of asking basic questions about energy to gain a better understanding and not pretending to know everything.

The goal of educating people to challenge misconceptions about the energy industry.

The need to educate those outside the oil and gas industry to move the needle on energy understanding.

Anecdote about a conversation with a parent from San Francisco who had misconceptions about oil and gas, thinking it was related to electricity prices.

The importance of being able to explain complex topics, like oil and gas, in a simple and digestible manner.

The three main components of the oil and gas industry: upstream (extraction), midstream (transportation), and downstream (refining and selling).

How the oil and gas industry is connected to everyday items and not just gasoline or electricity.

The challenge of explaining the invisible aspects of the energy industry to those unfamiliar with it.

The misconception that oil and gas companies only aim to ruin the earth and make money.

The emphasis on environmental protection and land reclamation in the oil and gas industry.

Investors' preference for companies with good environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics.

The impact of energy policies on individual lives, such as electricity bills and energy security.

The importance of understanding energy for making informed decisions, including voting choices.

The anecdote about asking for time off while cleaning a bathroom in the oil and gas industry.

The focus of the podcast 'Wicked Energy with JG' on discussing challenges, innovations, and transitions in the energy industry.

The importance of providing reliable, abundant, and affordable energy as a priority over reducing emissions.

The issue of energy poverty in parts of the world and the need for accessible energy for basic human needs.

Transcripts

welcome to energy 101 where

okay here's the deal our name

is

in question right now

but

the consistent can the

not consensus the theme is not so

we ask the dumb questions but no

question is actually dumb so they're not

dumb

so you don't have that's questionable

[Laughter]

we asked the basic questions about

energy because we want to learn and

we're tired of pretending like

we know anything about energy um so you

are here as our second guest this is

justin gautier yeah you got it oh my god

yeah i wanted to be the first podcast

you were on that did not talk about your

last name for five minutes thank you

you're welcome

moving on

i love talking about myself

though it's okay uh

but no thank you so much for having me

on i'm pumped you sent me a message and

i was like absolutely any you know

anything to support digital wildcatters

just to be involved and at the end of

the day educating

hopefully people who

have a misconception about energy um

that's the goal right yeah and so not to

just like start off but i just want to

start off by saying

um you know we do such a good job and

you know especially in oil and gas like

we go to these conferences and we beat

our chess and we preach to the choir but

like ultimately if we want to move the

needle we have to

educate people who are not familiar with

the topics and so i think what you guys

are doing are great um and so i commend

you

say you guys but you ladies nowadays

you'll be careful um maybe you identify

something else i don't know but however

uh

yeah no super pumped to be here so thank

you yeah so we're excited um so

kind of what you were saying we

yeah want to educate not the echo

chamber but outside of that we want to

really reach the people who

don't know anything and it's interesting

because i did have a conversation

yesterday i was talking to a parent at

jiu-jitsu he's from san francisco they

moved to houston

um

in january to become entrepreneurs so

they are in real estate and they're just

like this is a place to be they know

nothing about

oil and gas so when i started like

saying talking about digital wallet

calories and oil and gas energy

his immediate

thought was to talk about um electricity

prices and like those companies and i'm

like well that's not exactly like

what the companies do that we

kind of work like our clients and who we

like try to educate like that's

different but i didn't know how to

explain that sure so how would you

explain oil and gas to someone who

like him he's like i have like

it seemed like he had barely even heard

of oil and gas like i think he thought

of gasoline right and then thought of

like

the

electricity companies which that's not

wrong it's just how do you kind of

explain that yeah no that i mean it's a

great question and i think that's

something that we need to it's kind of

like when you go when you have a company

and you have a sales pitch or an

elevator pitch it's like well what do

you do

you need to be able to explain it within

like 30 seconds maybe less if not it's

people use too much energy energy to try

and figure out what the hell you're

trying to talk about um so so that's an

interesting question and an answer that

anyone within the oil and gas space or

in any space whether you're

um you design

signs or you know you're an oil and gas

or you provide electricity or you make

coffee cups like you should be able to

explain it simply to where people like

can digest it and say oh like that makes

sense to me um

and so

and i'll answer your question but i i

had the pleasure of having a gentleman

on my podcast who connected with my wife

over linkedin he's in the real estate uh

industry and

he also had no idea about oil and gas he

although he was from oklahoma he had

traveled growing up quite a bit and

um he was starting to make comments on

my posts um just saying oh wow that was

interesting or whatever and so i looked

at his background not oily gas related

at all i was like man why don't you come

on my podcast cause i was like i'd be

interested to hear your perspective as

someone who is outside the oil and gas

you know ecosystem like give me your

honest opinion on us as an industry

because i'm curious because anyone i

ever talk to i mean i have people within

my social circle that aren't oil and gas

but they're here in houston and so they

appreciate the industry for what it is

and what it provides but this gentleman

had no you know no experience with it

and so i had him on and you know we had

a great conversation and he said man

like i i listened to your podcast and

he's like to be honest growing up he's

like it was like the big bad oil and gas

companies all they wanted to do is you

know is ruin the earth and make as much

money as possible and he's like but

after being you know listening to your

podcast looking at your content a you're

a good guy which you know i thought

everyone in olympia was just like a

bunch of rednecks who

were mean right or whatever like

whatever the perception was um so you

know we got that sort of you know biases

out of the window

and then you know he he he said yeah

after he's like i listened to one of

your podcasts

and it was funny because that same day

he was with his friends and they were

complaining about gas prices and then

he's like you know i'm not i'm not big

on like economics this and that he's

like but i i had enough

of an understanding based off your

podcast where i could explain like it's

like the oil companies aren't the ones

that you should be blaming and according

to this podcast like there's this thing

called supply and demand and he like

tried to piece it together

but ultimately

i helped him and i say i you know the

people that i had on you know the

industry helped him

uh you know

gather enough information where he could

draw the conclusion where it wasn't a

negative connotation towards the

industry

and he had enough i guess information to

draw his conclusions to say okay oil and

gas is actually extremely important i

didn't realize that um because he said

he grew up in a family or it was kind of

demonized and everything else but but

now he and he said i actually would love

for my kids like if they told me they

want to get in the oil and gas industry

i would encourage them to do so because

it sounds like there's plenty of

opportunity and that was amazing to me

like i i ultimately hope that like that

next generation of his family can at

least appreciate and have a decent

understanding based off their dad's

knowledge of the industry so um that to

me is why i podcast is for that exact

reason so to go back and answer your

question

like someone comes from whatever

california or wherever and says well

what's oil and gas

um and what do you guys do like

ultimately it's you know you have three

parts you

you you drill and you you extract

stuff from the ground and that stuff

helps

create energy it helps create

cups it helps it's hydrocarbons are the

backbone for almost anything that we use

um and so

that you know hopefully

that's very broad

but i would i would start with like you

know the earth has these minerals and

this liquid and this gas

that ultimately helps make everything

you see around us um and then it's like

oh really like well give me an example

and

gasoline is the easiest one right um you

know you extract the oil from the ground

and through different processes i'm

trying to keep you like super generic

through different

through different uh there's a process

that can actually you know essentially

separate it and create gasoline for your

vehicle

um

you know that that's the easiest example

but then there's there's tons out there

uh

and so

when you had the interaction with with

this gentleman

were

his question was what is oil and gas or

like how or what is

so we were talking about just yeah what

we do the in the basically um

industry yeah and i could just tell by

the look on his face he was like like

what is

oil and gas like he didn't

he was it seemed like he was thinking

like yeah like i said gasoline or just

um electric companies so

like electricity companies right rather

because he started talking about uh how

it's crazy here um where you have like a

ton of different electricity companies

to choose from oh yeah so his mind went

immediately to that

which is fine

it's all connected right yeah yeah and

so i guess in

to to like to get a little bit more

technical i guess like i would if

someone asked me i would say well

there's three main components of of the

oil and gas industry you have the

upstream which is

where you everything happens out in the

middle of nowhere and you drill and you

extract the oil and gas and you have the

midstream which you transport that

material to these facilities and then

those facilities break up that oil and

gas and then sell it to consumers

being

whether it's chemical manufacturers or

you know electricity companies like and

again there's a lot more in between but

that's like very high level how that

happens and then like talking about the

utility sizes you know

yeah we're

not to get into

utility markets and power markets but

ultimately you know the natural gas is

is a big

component of how we create you know

create power and there's natural gas

process like power plants and so the gas

comes in it turns a turbine and then

that turbine creates electricity which

then they sell it to the market and so

on and so forth so

but like that's stuff that the average

person would have no idea about but

ultimately when you

you can always reverse kind of explain

it too is it's like okay so you know do

you have a phone yes okay how do you

charge it well electricity well do you

know where that comes from well the wall

the wall yeah and then it's like okay

well like there's these plants that

create the electricity and in order for

them to create electricity they need uh

some form of energy

and that energy comes from

you know it could come from wind because

ultimately electricity always comes from

turning turbines right like so whether

that's through water you give

hydroelectricity then you have you know

wind turns the turbines

nuclear power is kind of different in

itself but

that's a lot of times is like kind of

reverse explaining it and then like for

my daughter actually

you know this is a good topic for

parents who have kids who are trying to

explain energy and like one thing that

we've taught our daughter my son's not

quite old enough to like digest it but

she knows now is like the critical parts

of life or food water and energy like

that's what you need and so she

understands where food comes from she

understands water

but the energy one was like you know and

so i was like we started with the wall

it's like okay you have your your light

or whatever

and then

because she doesn't really know what i

do except for work on a computer and

talk on the phone

i was like well the reason i do that

is because blah blah but you know she

understands now that

without daddy drilling holes in the

ground we wouldn't be able to drive our

cars and i say when i daddy drills the

holes and then this stuff comes out of

the ground and we put that stuff in the

vehicle and she's like oh wait that's

important yes it is

until we go fully ev but you know then

we explain okay we need electricity well

where does electricity come from the

electricity comes from the wall and

there's these big machines that make

electricity but in order to power the

machines

you need the stuff that daddy gets out

of the ground and so she's like

connecting the dots and you know as we

evolve we'll explain more of like other

technologies but to like that's if you

can explain it to a six-year-old

hopefully you can explain it to another

adult yeah i think the hardest part of

understanding it is like you can't see

it like you see your food you see the

plants that it grows on not everyone is

um you know from midland texas you don't

get to see the rigs that actually drill

or the pump jacks that are pumping the

oil so i think that's where it

becomes like non-existent to some people

who don't see any energy infrastructure

at all

um

and so it's interesting that you brought

up like

two parts so yes we had on our last

episode k mccall who she divided up

energy into two parts

one was power yeah which is your turbine

so any wind exactly what you're saying

yeah and the other side of it would be

i can't remember what she called it i

don't know if y'all remember

but

basically

oil and gas like what else do we

make from that like aside energy aside

from like power generation okay um which

you kind of already touched on like

we need

petroleum to make all the things we use

right there's

yeah so i mean

so the energy side

is i would consider the energy side of

it as like power and electricity that to

me when i think energy

that's what i think however there's

another component the petrochemical side

and the petrochemical side

is extremely important and that's where

i think you're gonna see

a lot of demand growth on the

petrochemical side

um

you're gonna need a lot more of that

because you're creating more goods right

as as economies continue to evolve

the demand for energy and the demand for

just overall stuff that we see and use

every day increases um and arguably like

the world's economies are continuing to

grow you know again that's debatable

right now but

for all extensive purposes you have

emerging economies like india and china

and stuff they're just continuing to use

more stuff

so in order to create more stuff

you have the other side of

of the energy industry that helps create

feedstock for a lot and feedstock or

like materials so when you extract oil

and gas there's byproducts

after you separate it through heat and

other

forms of doing that but again in genes

being in very generalities you have when

you extract stuff out of the ground you

can use some of that to use to create

electricity and then you can use a lot

of that

for whether it be fertilizer whether it

be

you know chemicals like that you get

used in plastics and so that i would

separate like the power and then the

petrochemical side

and you you can always again you can

break it down further and anyone who's

listening is probably like well yeah but

this yeah but yeah like i know everyone

you know like take it easy um i'm trying

to keep it very simple um i think that

on that point that is where

um the industry really lacks like they

like to

over complicate the way they explain

things because it is very in-depth and

technical but you can't

you if you were to tell me all the

technical stuff i'd be like yeah okay

bye yeah but yeah

yeah interest so you have to keep it

high level so you do you notice it like

on tick tock colin will make an

explainer video and they're like you

mess up this like actually it's this and

it's all right that's not the point

and that it doesn't matter to people

outside of the industry and that's

ultimately who we need to talk to right

yeah and like whether it's you know

because again everyone claims to be an

expert like you know tick tock's a great

example i was so i started this little

take talk

account which i go on there and i just

like speak my mind like if i think of

something i'll go on there i'll say it

and whether it's like talking about oil

and gas markets sales

anything and i wasn't

this is the funniest thing so i was in i

was in colorado and i was in frisco

colorado so up in the mountains

and

like for 14 chicken wings was like 27 or

something and so i so of course i was

like oh that's crazy like take out my

phone i'm like

do a tick tock thing i'm like 27 for

chicken wings are you kidding me

and like just kind of joking and then

i i was not expecting this but like so

many people went on there and were like

thanks biden like

fighting this and like everyone like

started getting so mad at like biden

over this post and i was like okay like

comment section on tick tock is wild

yeah that's where all the juice is right

yeah so but so then i so then i started

replying and i was like well

i i have a hard time thinking that like

biden is single-handedly causing

chick-flation that's what i was calling

it so i made it

yeah and so then i like made another

post i'm like okay like to clear things

up like yeah i get it like everyone is

is an economist now and you know

everyone understands inflation and

everyone's an expert but like let's

consider supply and demand here and then

everyone was like no but this and that

and then i was like okay i need to stop

so i like totally stopped responding but

to the point of everyone's an expert

is this like yeah and like i commend

colin for doing that like he's talking

about like random components and

different things within and then like

educating people and to go on there and

then

like try and

it's a term down here everyone i guess

knows but i learned this recently out

whataburger somebody is that have you

heard that i've never heard that oh okay

well when like when you go like you know

one-uppers like i'm gonna one-up you

it's like if you went to a concert well

the concert i went to was way better

like yeah i should have been the one i

was at well yeah everyone like seems to

think that like their comments are what

they know is that much smarter

um but ultimately it's like it doesn't

matter like the fact that like unless it

was like completely off scales like if

colin was talking about like a wind

turbine that you used to drill oil and

gas for i'd be like okay like maybe you

can correct course you can clear that up

to get into the nuances and the details

it's like he's not trying to teach a

like a graduate level engineering course

he's trying to help people who don't

understand the industry

so let's not get caught up in the in the

semantics here um but yeah it's it's

it's crazy and to keep it high level

it's

again that that is a great point is we

have a hard time in oil and gas

explaining what we do

um but then you have all these

scientists and engineers like i'm gonna

show you how smart i am i was like no

one gives a they just want to

understand what's going on like can you

not simplify it please yeah yeah yeah on

that note

gonna

like do a little test can you simplify

what you do to us

uh yeah so

when you drill for oil and gas

i'm gonna assume people understand what

drilling is that's right okay so you

yeah you have this big machine that sits

on the on the dirt and it drills down to

get to the pool of oil and then it just

gushes everywhere right like that's okay

so but in order to get there you need a

fluid

that

is pumped down to where you can

if you're in a like let's kill let's go

to the beach everyone close your eyes

and support me when you're digging to

get to china right at the beach because

everyone knows if you dig deep enough

you can get to china what happens

when you start digging what happens the

sand gets wet yeah and then what happens

it starts to fall in right like you dig

the more time i've never done that

i'm like what happened i was just at the

beach and i'm like what happened

so you dig down and then all of a sudden

you get down there and and then the the

sand wants to fall in and you're like

well i can't see china yet so you keep

digging and just china never appears but

if actually side note if you dig deep

enough here in texas to get to where you

can dig to china you won't actually get

to china i thought anywhere in the world

if you dig deep enough you just somehow

end up in china but apparently not i've

never heard that no okay well maybe

that's a canadian thing i've no i've

heard that book okay thank you

i'm not that crazy that's actually true

right

no no no you're right no these are the

questions that are not dumb yes if you

dig deep enough right now here in

houston texas i don't think you'll end

up in china

uh although it would be funny if you did

but i firmly believe that growing up in

british columbia if i dug deep enough i

would get to china but i soon found out

that if you dig deep enough what happens

is the dirt and the sand falls back in

on itself so how would you get that sand

and dirt from falling in how you would

well what i do is i provide drilling

fluid so

i i provide chemicals in engineering on

site meaning at the rig and we

add chemicals to the fluid that gets

pumped to make sure that all that rock

and dirt can get lifted out of the

ground so you can keep digging deeper

because if you just like say if you kept

digging now if if your hand somehow had

something that could like pump fluid and

like kick and spray all that dirt

everywhere you might get to china yeah

like

at the end of your fingers if you could

shoot more

more water down there you might be able

to get deep enough to china

so

it's not again so if you're digging uh

you know on a rig you're digging and

you're drilling um

i help provide fluid to where you can

continue to dig and and what happens is

as you get deeper

there's there's this

phenomenon called

reservoir pressure okay and what that is

is as you dig deeper the pressure one it

wants to cave in like the and that's how

ultimately oil and gas gets pushed out

of the ground is because there's

pressure when you dig deep there's

pressure now

everyone's not well what about

conventionals and sometimes it's

depleted yeah yeah yeah whatever but

ultimately the deeper you get the more

pressure there is okay

so but in but as you're drilling you

don't want all that pressure to shoot uh

like fluid and gas back at you because

it's very dangerous so the fluid that i

provide has a certain density and by

that i mean it's heavy

so when you did when you drill it helps

keep the hole open to where you don't

have gas and oil shooting back at you

because you don't want that you only

want that when you're ready to actually

extract the oil in the gas but as you're

drilling to get there you want to hold

it back so that you don't have

uh issues

so that's what basically suppresses

and keeps the hole open yeah it keeps

the hole open so you can drill two

to

pleasure island which is the island

which is the reservoir which is the oil

and the gas yeah where the gold is yeah

yeah or the black gold

yeah yeah okay that makes sense to me do

you all have any questions about it

no but we're gonna go into rapid fire

you ready yes wow so i had no questions

i explained that perfectly

i don't know if i did

the company i work for is probably like

dude we should you should probably yeah

and we're questioning

we probably don't even know if you said

anything wrong yeah like yeah i mean

yeah

especially going all the way to china

right now we haven't dug to china yet

but if we do i'll be the one to provide

the fluid for it

all right here we go okay what is the

number one misconception about the

energy industry

the energy or oiling or oil and gases

okay um

that we're all out to ruin the earth and

make as much money as humanly possible

so would you say that

because i kind of believe this that

i think um

people in the industry it's like

the environment is more top of mind than

anyone else like i think that we are

doing a good job of

trying to

minimize

yeah like our effect on and i think that

it is top of mind for oil and gas

companies more than anyone else would

you say that i would say that and again

i

you know i'm somewhat biased because i

don't have exposure to other

industries who do operate in remote

areas that ultimately do

you know dig dirt and take forest away

and everything else however

if you look at land reclamation

especially up in canada when an oil and

gas company or an energy company goes

and does their work

are responsible for leaving that

basically area or that land in better or

in the same or better condition

than what they left when they got there

yeah so

yes it is a lot of oil now granted it

depends on the on the company right like

a lot of these huge companies

like

they have a bullseye on their back cause

if anything happens and they're the ones

you know you're not you're not looking

at all these small mom and pops that you

know if all of a sudden they burn a rig

down like you're gonna hear about it but

if like an exxon or a chevron does it

like

then it's severe but i can say this

through time and i've been

in oil and gas since 2004

is the emphasis on

environmental protection land

reclamation making sure that they

protect groundwater there they have

spent more money and and r d on making

sure that they minimize the effects on

the environment

then i would imagine a lot of other

industries um

you know and and one of the biggest

things right now is is the methane you

know the flaring that's a huge topic of

discussion and there's a lot of

companies out there

that are trying to come up with

technologies to minimize that and find

ways well now with gas at almost ten

dollars per i mean btu that's people are

finding ways to try and get it to market

to sell it but for a while gas was cheap

and no one knew what to do with it so

they just let it they just flared it and

so but but but now there's a lot of

you know policy and a lot of mandates

in place to say okay we got to minimize

flaring and a lot of companies are

spending a lot of money in time figuring

out how to do that and so

yeah there's i mean especially here in

the us and in canada like

the the environmental

aspect of our industry is is extremely

important and a lot of companies like

they spent a lot of time and effort

trying to minimize that and so

but you don't see that right like it's

kind of behind closed doors and they do

it and you know people can plug their

iphones into the wall and it doesn't

really mean anything it's you know what

i mean so it's again to your point is

it's like you can't see them when

they're doing that yeah um

but it all

adds up at the end of the day to where

the us is producing

in a way that's much safer and

environmentally friendly than a lot of

other parts of the world

um

and i've seen it and i've experienced it

and i've been in meetings and talking

about like you know reducing the amount

of water they use they're reducing the

amount of people that are on the road

driving

um those are just like a few of like

tons of other things but there's these

little things that make people could

grasp is like oh they're you know

because

when you frac a well it it uses a ton of

water well there everyone's trying to

reduce the amount of water we use

because

you know it's somewhat finite so

um but yes oil and gas companies

i mean

it's crazy to see how much money and

time they put into that because

you know investors want it right now if

you're an investor you want to invest in

companies that

have the you know the environment

um

like they have the

if you're if you're on the investment

side most companies want to invest in

companies that have uh like good esg

metrics environmental like friendly and

yeah i also think getting standard

efficiency in some aspect

yeah um it

it does

um

again i can't i wouldn't i don't have

enough experience on the operator side

to say if they operate more sustainably

and they have a better esg

sort of certain esg standards or

environmental standards that they

operate more efficiently i i don't know

that per se

i wouldn't want to come out here and say

yeah if if companies have a of good

environmental standards they're going to

operate more efficiently but

it's more efficient for the entire

ecosystem to operate more efficiently

because ultimately then investors are

going to want to invest in companies

that

do operate in a good manner

um to where then yeah it's if we can

produce more here in the us then that

obviously

that that would be much better so anyway

that yeah it's it'd be hard to make that

parallel i didn't mean to uh hijack your

rapid fire but i do want to plug in so

we are doing a vlog series with presidio

petroleum and they we just this week

released an episode um and it's all

about their like how they're

lowering emissions

and their operations

so i found it very very interesting and

i think that

other people would too it's just their

take on it as an oil and gas company is

very interesting

that's kind of why i

had

kind of some conclusions but yeah it

could be just them but i hope like

they're the future and others will

follow yeah yeah no i i mean that would

be something i need to do more research

on on that as well but and what was the

operator's name

presidio

patron nice no good for them that's

awesome yeah all right yeah um we kind

of touched base on this one but why

should i like someone that doesn't know

anything about the oil and gas industry

or the energy industry why should i care

um

you shouldn't

i'm just kidding

yeah don't worry about it um i just

make our lives easier yeah it'll be

there just keep paying your bills

that'll be fine um

yeah you know i

that's it that's actually a really good

question why should you care be and

because it it

it indirectly and directly impacts your

life and it impacts your kids lives um

and i i think that the more people can

be educated

they can make

sort of educated decisions right

knowledge is power yeah that's exactly

and so i think it just comes down to

having a better understanding and and it

helps just guide your decision making um

whether that's conserving like

so for someone like yourself and and i

and i know this because i've spoken to

people that you know are in their 20s

they make a lot of their buying

decisions based off of company values so

you know whether you're going to the

store and if you see a you know a shirt

that like oh we you know we you know a

portion of our proceeds goes to whatever

environmental company versus noaa like

the behavior of consumers right now is

like i want to buy stuff

that i align with this company values so

yeah and so if you have an understanding

of like energy and oil and gas

it might help you make better buying

decisions not like

t-shirts but yeah um it helps you

understand why your why your electricity

bill is probably going to be double i

don't know if you pay your electricity

bill but i lived in new york and uh i

yeah i got a big understanding yeah

every month when i my con ed bill was

coming in right so in the summer price

is getting higher you know yeah so here

on a macro level

it allows you okay so ultimately

whoever our administration is whether

it's you know blue green red purple

whatever um well there's only two here

in the us but uh

so it allows you to make better

decisions when you're voting for who and

it allows you to understand policy and i

think that's where ultimately if you

have an understanding of energy

a lot of when people when the president

voting comes up a lot of their

initiatives are energy policy and energy

security and so if you at least have

some basic understanding of that

then it might help you justify why

you're voting for somebody um

not to make it political but ultimately

if you vote for someone who

let's just say is like we want to stop

on the gas production period well at

least then understand that your

electricity and all your energy prices

are going to go up

on top of that we're still going to use

that oil and gas so if we can't produce

it where are we going to get it from oh

we're going to depend on people from

overseas and if we do that then we're

giving up our energy security and i'm

not going to go into energy security but

that's a good sort of topic to google is

what is energy security and so that was

one thing in our former administration

was like energy independence um you know

again no one's perfect i'm not blue i'm

not red i'm more purple than anything

however

there is something to be said about

having a degree of energy independence

because that also increases our energy

security and

wars have been

happening for years

over money and power and oil and so it

all ties together and it impacts us

whether we want to admit it or not

um it's again it's again like you said

the more knowledgeable you have the more

you have an understanding of how it all

ties together you can ultimately make

better decisions and more educated

decisions than just off like emotion or

headlines that we see every day yeah

yeah that's a really good answer um our

last one that's my favorite one what is

your most embarrassing story in your

career my most embarrassing story in my

career

oh that's a good one

let's see

oh this is a good one

and then after this i do have to bounce

ladies but so

i started so i was when i graduated high

school i didn't know what i wanted to do

so i started working drilling rigs so

then i went from being a city boy who

enjoyed you know the finer things of

life partying ladies all that stuff as

an 18 year old well i went from that to

going to work on a drilling rig well the

drilling rig that i worked on only had

two crews and for everyone out there who

doesn't know normally have more than two

crews so that you can circulate but you

if you only have two crews that means

that you don't really get days off

um and so

when that was happening

so i got onto the rig

and i was like so yeah this this two

week on two week off thing and they're

like no buddy like you're out here until

we tell you you can go home and i was

like

but i thought oh okay never mind so

anyway um

we're gonna rig and it had been like

three weeks

and i was like i really want to go home

like i went from being at home like

comfort of my parents house to now

working on a drilling rig and i don't

know when i'm going home this sucks i

hated it

and i was a leasehand and part of my job

on a day-to-day basis was cleaning the

like the rigs toilets and like the

bathrooms

and in canada the trailer

the tool pushers trailer and the tool

pusher is kind of like the boss on the

rig well anyway at the end of his

trailer was the bathroom so one day i

was cleaning the bathroom and i i was

trying to figure out like how i could

get home

um and i was like well wait you know

like i have you know a wedding coming up

i was like okay so

but i was too embarrassed to go into the

to the my boss's trailer through the

front door but from the bathroom to the

door um or from like the bathroom that i

was cleaning there was a door to his

office

and i heard him in there on the phone

and so i waited in the bathroom until he

was done on the phone then i knocked on

the door

and his name was daryl and he was like

hello i was like hey daryl this is

justin i'm cleaning your the bathroom

right now i was wondering if you had a

minute and he's like what the hell are

you doing calling me from the bathroom

uh i don't know and so he opened the

door he's like you're the first person

that's ever done he's like what do you

want like well uh

i haven't been home in my i have a

wedding coming up i was wondering if i

could be home

uh for you know i gave him a date

and uh he didn't give me an answer but

that was like looking back

if if i was a like a boss and some kid

like was cleaning the bathroom and

knocked on the door to ask for days off

i would have probably ran him off and

been

don't ever ask me for days off while

you're cleaning the bathroom that's just

so awkward and so it's not really that

embarrassing but it's like in looking

back at it like i was i didn't know how

to approach my boss and so yeah i was

sitting there with like a scrub brush

and like like gloves and stuff like

cleaning the bathroom asking for time

off like looking back like i wasn't

embarrassed at the time but now i'm like

wow that was extremely embarrassing yeah

i don't know why i thought of that

scrubbing the toilet hey boss by the way

can i uh go home tomorrow yeah like can

i yeah can i can i have some days off

and the crappy thing is like he never

gave me an answer for like two weeks so

he kept like dragging it along and i was

like god dang and then he finally was

like okay he's like look yes you can you

can go home for these dates but then you

gotta come back you know these dates

he's like but if you ever ask me for

time off from the bathroom again you

might as well not come back i was like

okay noted yeah i'll come in through the

front door instead of through the

bathroom yeah yeah so that was the

normal thing i'm sure he's probably this

dumb kid but yeah um that's i don't know

if that's the most embarrassing but i'm

embarrassed to like describe that so i

don't really get that much too much but

yeah that was yeah that does work

highlight of my career for sure yeah

yeah

well cool

thanks for coming on i know you have a

meeting to run to no worries this has

been fun yeah you ladies are crushing it

and i'm super pumped to see how this

evolves and like i said evolve or die

right yeah exactly yeah i think we'll

have you on when we know a little bit

more and you can talk to us more in

depth yeah no worries i hope i did an

okay job again it's i'm working on

explaining things simply to people who

don't quite understand it um so i think

this is a good exercise and a great

platform to do that so i commend you

ladies that's such a good idea awesome

well thank you justin

you're welcome thank you guys should we

plug your podcast oh should our

non-existent followers

you guys are gonna have a lot

i'll make sure my mom subscribes thank

you yeah we got one subscriber our moms

or yeah yeah no my mom's always like i

listen to your podcast again i was like

yeah

so yeah if you wanna so again i have a

podcast wicked energy with jg you can

find it on all directories um and it

focuses around having discussions about

um you know a lot of the challenges the

innovation the transition

uh and in

through through uh speaking and

interviewing energy thought leaders and

so um yeah just continuing to educate

dive deep into a lot of the challenges

and and just some really good discussion

on oil and gas whether it's technology

policy

um

you know the transition sort of all

things good for energy so

and then two is like how a lot of the

conversation i like to have is how can

we

help provide energy to the world because

i think one of the problems is you know

it's one thing to help you know reduce

emissions and everything else

but i think the biggest problem we have

right now is energy poverty in lots of

parts of the world is so how can we

how can we allow for people to have

access to reliable abundant and

affordable energy i think that needs to

be the north star and then beyond that

we can continue focusing on you know

reducing uh emissions and and all you

know the greenhouse gas effects and

everything else but but that's a

privilege yeah it is right and so

there's countries out there who don't

care about emitting they just want to be

able to heat their hospitals and have

electricity so they can have babies in a

nice environment versus on a dirt floor

so keep that in mind yes well thank you

justin yeah

thank you