Maximizing Speaking Opportunities

William J. Pike, Member, SPE Energy Information Committee

Editor's note: This is one in a series of articles about the work of the SPE Energy Information Committee.

As most members are now aware, the SPE Energy Information Committee has been reconstituted and currently is stepping up its efforts to educate the public at large about the realities and accomplishments of the upstream industry. A major part of this effort is undertaken by a group of members who speak regularly to public and private gatherings ranging from high school science teachers to non-oil and gas employees of the U.S. Dept. of Energy. In my experience, these speaking opportunities have been very effective in carrying our message to a broader, more influential audience.

The enthusiasm of the audiences that I have addressed has been much higher than I initially expected, and the same can be said of the level of audience participation. The enthusiasm is not shared universally, however, and the high expectations and low knowledge levels (about the oil and gas industry) of many in the audience can create a minefield for the unprepared or hesitant speaker. But a bit of preparation and common sense will help the speaker avoid most of the mines.

Know Your Audience. First and foremost, remember that each person in your audience has a preconceived impression of the oil and gas industry that generally has been formed in the absence of much solid information about the industry. This is extremely frustrating. But, just as you cannot get mad at a 4-year-old child for his failure to understand calculus—he has not been exposed to it—neither can you blame the average citizen for his lack of accurate knowledge of the oil and gas industry. You will, most often, be the first honest voice the audience has heard.

If you have a chance, visit with audience members beforehand. This often gives them an opportunity to voice opinions in an atmosphere where their issues can be addressed quickly and quietly rather than in a raucous debate in the middle of your speech. For example, in a speech to high school science teachers, I was approached by an audience member before the speech. In a belligerent voice, he told me that he hoped oil prices would double and double again so people could not afford oil and would take up alternative options. I was able to quietly point out that alternative options were not far enough advanced to be of much value in that situation and that, in fact, the global recession and economic collapse created by the violently spiking energy prices that he favored would make alternative energy uptake a moot point anyway. On the other hand, if an audience member has a valid opinion or pertinent question, ask him/her to reiterate it during the question-and-answer session.

Presentation. Because you will know more than your audience, you should be well prepared. In fact, you will be too well prepared, and that can cause problems. Always strive to keep your presentation simple. So, explain permeability, but do not put Darcy’s equation in a slide. Concepts are essential to the audience. Technical details, while they may be fascinating, are, for the most part, not.
Use graphics extensively. While you generally will not be speaking to engineers and scientists, you will be speaking to well-educated, intelligent people. In these presentations, an illustration may actually be worth a thousand words. Like the rest of your speech, the illustrations should be as simple as possible.

Relate technology to common things. Explaining reservoir depressurization by alluding to the uncapping of a soda bottle might seem simplistic, but it will help your audience visualize the concept.

Finally, set a positive, low-key tone in your speech. Avoid grandiose statements about the oil and gas industry like the plague—otherwise, you will play right into the hands of the audience members who expect a certain oil company arrogance. At the same time, do not appear meek or apologetic, or that may well trigger the same reaction.

Questions and Answers. This is where the going gets interesting, and there is really no way to prepare for some of the questions you will get. Among questions I have received lately are: “How long will I have to pay this much for gasoline?”; “What happens when you have a gusher?”; and “Is it true that oil companies are letting refineries stand idle to restrict supply and raise gasoline prices?” And, of course, there is always, “How much oil is left?” Interestingly, I have had very few questions about natural gas.

When answering questions, do not be defensive, condescending, or overly technical. Above all, be honest. When someone asks about Exxon Valdez (you will get that question sooner or later), do not skirt or attempt to minimize the issues. And if you do not know the answer, say so. Audiences can sense fear and dishonesty. They also can sense honesty.

Finally, remember that you will not change their minds with one speech. Your hope is to get members of the audience to question some of their preconceptions and to seek further information.

SPE Membership Reaches Record

Almost 4,000 industry professionals joined SPE in 2006, raising total membership to a new record of 73,235. The total increased 6% from 2005, when the membership count was 69,339.

Professional (nonstudent) membership increased 8% in 2006 to a record 56,496, beating the previous high mark of 53,733 in 1985. Student membership was relatively flat, ending the year at 16,739. Membership grew in all regions (Table 1). SPE now has professional members in 113 countries and student members in 87 countries.

The average age of an SPE member decreased by one year in 2006, to 47. SPE now has 12,161 young professional members under the age of 35, up from 10,168 in 2005. The largest number of young professionals is in the U.S. with 34% of the total, followed by the U.K. and Canada, each with 7% of the total.

Workshop Explores Technical Career Track

The oil and gas industry needs to build a new generation of technical experts. Surveys indicate that a disproportionate number of young engineers strongly favor a management career, possibly because of the perception that a management track will lead to more benefits and higher pay.

To explore this issue, SPE will convene an interactive Technology Ladder Workshop on Thursday, 5 April, at Chevron Corp.’s offices at 1500 Louisiana St. in Houston. The format will promote open dialogue on the causes of the shortage of technical experts and what incentives could make a technical career track more attractive.

In this 1-day workshop, company teams will explore the opportunities for young engineers who follow a technology career track instead of pursuing careers as managers. Company teams should have five members: a senior-level executive, human resources manager, technology leader, and two young engineers. These teams may register for the event at a discounted single price.

The workshop will open with a framing discussion by 2006 SPE President Eve Sprunt. This will be followed by a presentation of the results of a recent survey of SPE’s young members. A panel consisting of an executive, a human resources manager, a technical leader, and a young engineer will highlight the pros and cons of the technical track and answer questions from the audience.

To promote discussion, attendees will divide into groups so that the young engineers are in different groups from their other team members. Each breakout group will include executives, human resources managers, technology leaders, and young engineers. Facilitators and scribes from these sessions will report on their findings to the reconvened group before lunch. After lunch, a second set of breakouts will reunite company teams so they can discuss what they have learned. Company teams are urged to share what they have learned within their company after the event.

If your company is interested in participating, please contact Bill Furlow, SPE Senior Manager, Americas Workshops, at bfurlow@spe.org.

King Saud U. in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, welcomed 2007 SPE President Abdul-Jaleel Al-Khalifa in December. The Vice Dean of the college of engineering, staff members of King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology, faculty members, and SPE student members in the Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering Dept. participated. Al-Khalifa told those in attendance of his “People First” initiative, spoke of SPE’s history and activities, and toured the school’s laboratories.

Cairo U. SPE Student Chapter members were among the 67 participants from 24 educational institutions at the 12th annual Abu Dhabi Intl. Petroleum Exhibition and Conference held recently. The students were given an opportunity to meet with young industry professionals from different engineering and cultural backgrounds, meet energy industry leaders, and compete in group paper presentations. The participants also took field trips to Abu Dhabi Sabkha, located along the Abu Dhabi shoreline; Schlumberger’s Abu Dhabi offices; and worksites of the Natl. Petroleum Construction Co.