To paraphrase Mark Twain’s wry remark, “reports of the demise of the oil & gas industry have been greatly exaggerated.”
Sure, crude prices have dropped to around $50 a barrel and gas is sitting at only $2.50, but if activity in Houston is any indication, the industry is gearing up for a busy 2015 despite the lagging prices. This current slump is not the industry’s first rodeo and the more experienced companies know how to ride out these lean times.
We observed some interesting trends this past week around Houston, that together augur well for 2015.
First, at two separate energy industry events last week we were struck by the impression that things are still humming along. At the 27th Annual Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management Conference, attendance was at an all-time high with about 40 more booths than last year.
The American Association of Professional Landmen’s NAPE Summit was a similar scene. More than 17,000 attendees descended on the George R. Brown Convention Center for the four-day event to meet, greet, and strike deals. Attendees we spoke to said that while people were being cautious, there were no shortage of conversations happening on the show floor. The key, it seems, is that everyone is looking for the right opportunity.
So, in this landscape, how do you make sure your opportunity is the right opportunity? How can you set yourself apart and maintain a competitive edge? We believe it is all about efficiency – making the most of your people, technology, and processes. The successful organizations will be those who figure out how to maximize their assets and derive more value out of everything they do.