Oklahoma State University to present annual Energy Conference on May 20

Friday, May 8, 2015

The Oklahoma State University Ninth Annual Energy Conference will be from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 20 at the Cox Business Convention Center in Oklahoma City.

Presented by the Department of Finance and the Center for Executive and Professional Development in the OSU Spears School of Business, the Energy Conference will allow participants to learn about a variety of topics from highly qualified energy professionals pertaining to different areas of the industry.

“It is an honor to again serve as moderator for this conference and to help facilitate the discussion among this all-star panel of energy industry experts,” said Griff Jones, president and chief executive officer of Twin Eagle Resource Management in Houston.

Karl Schmidt, general manager of petrochemicals and lubricants at CITGO Petroleum Corporation in Houston, will be presenting on “Examining Crude Oil Prices: Future Implications for the Refining and Chemical Industry.” Participants will discuss the causes of the rapid decrease in prices for crude oil and what the future may hold. Participants will also be studying the potential impacts this could all have on the shale revolution, the petrochemical industry, and the U.S. manufacturing renaissance.

The next topic, “Capital Availability in Uncertain Environments,” is led by Dwight Scott, senior managing director at GSO Capital Partners in Blackstone, New York. Participants will review the current energy capital market environment with a focus on alternative capital providers.

“Horizontal Drilling – At the Crossroads of Technology and Regulation – Looking Back to Go Forward” will be presented by Dana Murphy, commissioner for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission in Oklahoma City. In 2012, horizontal completions surpassed non-horizontal completions for the first time in Oklahoma’s long history of oil and gas production. Operators developing resource plays in the state are grappling with a challenging economic environment in addition to evolving regulations. Participants will learn the latest from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, the agency that regulates all drilling and development in Oklahoma. 

Jerry Winchester, chief executive officer of Seventy Seven Energy in Oklahoma City, will present, “The State of the Service Industry: Where Did We Come From and Where are We Going?” Participants will examine and discuss the evolution of oilfield service companies throughout the peaks and valleys of the industry’s cycles.

After lunch, “Innovating for Tomorrow” will be discussed by C. Michael Ming, general manager for GE Oil & Gas Technology Center in Oklahoma City. During this subject, participants will learn about GE Oil & Gas Technology Center’s progress in developing technologies that will enhance operational profitability today and their innovation of technologies that will replace resources for the future.

Finally, there will be an industry panel discussing and answering questions about the current energy price environment. Panelists will include Jason Pigott, executive vice president of operations in the Southern Division of Chesapeake Energy Corporation in Oklahoma City; John Hart, senior vice president, chief financial officer and treasurer of Continental Resources in Oklahoma City, and Kevin Lafferty, vice president for strategic planning at Devon Industry Corporation, also located in Oklahoma City.

Registration for the Ninth Annual Oklahoma State University Energy Conference is $275 for individuals. Conference sponsorship opportunities are still available and group registration rates can be viewed at cepd.okstate.edu. Continental breakfast, lunch, and conference materials will be included. CPE credits are available.

To register or for more information, visit cepd.okstate.edu or contact Mandy McKinney at 405-744-5208 or 866-678-3933 or by email at mandy.mckinney@okstate.edu.