Page 76: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Jan/Feb 2015)

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Pro? le Faces of the Industry Faces of the Industry Faces of the Industry

By Kelli Lauletta t is ? tting to kick off the the other hand and eat the

I

New Year with a pro? le of small pieces carefully, before

Featuring the best of

Statoil Vice President Helge you repeat the ritual. We just

Hove Haldorsen, who takes don’t eat like that in Europe! the reigns as the 2015 Society In Texas, desserts like ‘mud

ALL THE ROCKSTARS of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) pie’ – as big as building bricks

President. – and unbelievably big steaks As we look at a new year were clearly a new experi- with uncertainty in oil prices, ence. Another ? rst for me,

Haldorsen is a personality wearing a three-piece suit in who takes it all in stride and 105°F and not sweating like looks at the big picture. mad. However, people every-

Known for his insatiable where are largely the same. I

EXPLORERS drive for pushing the con- found Texans and Americans versation to evolve the E&P to be warm, wonderful inclu-

AND GAMECHANGERS industry, Haldorsen brings sive people. And you know energy, intellectual muscle, what, life is an echo: You get

Driving our Industry, today.

humor, and enthusiasm to back what you send out!

industry forums. He embraces

What do you enjoy most in the surprises, innovations and working in oil and gas?

even uncertainties that are commonplace in the oil and Knowing that I get up in the gas industry. He is a visionary, education – offering new Science students received morning and play a small role a forward thinker and always courses in petroleum geology, from all the professors: you in helping 7.2 billion people looking to the limitless pos- exploration geophysics, petro- must join SPE – it will make get their energy every day for sibilities of human endeavor. physics, reservoir engineering, you a better professional, and lighting, transportation, heat-

Haldorsen reveals the spark drilling, facility and topside it will be a ‘partnership for ing and cooling. that drew him into oil and engineering, project manage- life.’ I joined SPE in 1978, Globally, every single day gas, gives his take on Texas ment and more at universities. 36 years ago! My professors in 2014, we teamed up to “culture shock,” and offers were right, as over the years produce about 92 MMboe/d

Was there a key life insight on the need for the I have become a much better and 325 Bcf/d of natural gas. event that changed your “next versions” of E&P and and more innovative engineer This energy makes the world career course in a de? nite

SPE. because of SPE. go round and lifts living stan- direction? If so, please dards, which gives me a huge

What sparked your interest describe it. Did you experience any sense of purpose. I am very in oil and gas? culture shock when you

There were two important proud to play a part in a busi- came to the US from

When I was about to ? nish events. Professor Tony Podio, ness that drills approximately

Norway? Did anything in high school in Norway, huge on his sabbatical leave from 83,000 wells and invests $1

Texas surprise you?

offshore oil and gas discover- UT Austin, who was teach- trillion per year. How can ies were made in the North Sea ing production engineering in Certain things are just very you not be excited? My good and cool images were broad- Norway, suggested that I come different such as wearing friend Steve Thurston with cast on Norwegian TV. We to Austin for my PhD. I did cowboy boots with a suit, Chevron puts it this way, could see drilling rigs, produc- just that after a period with which I had never seen “when we develop ? elds tion platforms and amazing ExxonMobil in Norway. On before, and wearing white in ultra-deep water, it’s like high tech offshore equipment. 16 December 1982, I defended shirts so overly starched that going the moon every day!” These exciting images my dissertation in reservoir they make a sound when you I’m also drawn to the multi- triggered my interest in E&P, engineering with Professor walk. Another surprise was disciplinary nature of E&P, the and I decided to start my Larry W. Lake as the Chairman how Texans eat. First, you risks we have to identify and petroleum engineering degree. of my PhD committee. cut the food in small pieces, mitigate, the ? ercely com-

The Norwegian authorities The second event stemmed then you put down your knife petitive, but also the amaz- invested in ramping up E&P from the advice Master of and move the fork over to ingly collaborative nature

January 2015 | OE oedigital.com 78 078_OE0115_Faces.indd 78 12/22/14 1:46 PM