Page 154: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (May/Jun 2015)

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Pro? le Faces of the Industry Faces of the Industry

By Kelli Lauletta

This month’s Faces of Surround yourself with really

T the Industry focuses on good people. I have a really

Featuring the best of

Joe Rovig whose oil and gas great team. Most people who career journey propelled him work their way up, have done

ALL THE ROCKSTARS from a rig hand in Colorado so by having a very strong to president of the NOV Rig team. Sometimes people

Systems business segment. will create a great team,

Rovig was in the right place at but through bureaucracy or the right time after the mega management style, will not merger between National empower them. However, it is

Oilwell and Varco. He and critical to take it the full step his team played a key role in – give them responsibility, making industry history in hold them accountable and be

EXPLORERS shifting how drilling rigs are there to support them when designed and manufactured. they make a mistake.

AND GAMECHANGERS

OilOnline visited with Joe in NOV has grown signi? - his Houston of? ce. Joe shares cantly and has a business

Driving our Industry, today.

a major career crossroad story, story of its own. We are the talks oil prices, offers advice to world’s largest small com- those impacted by layoffs, and pany. It is that backdrop gives his take on activity in the and culture that allows us,

Do you have a career peak

Gulf of Mexico. my position, exposed me as managers, the freedom to that you’d like to share?

to many more management empower our people. It’s part

How did you get into oil and challenges and increased my The business of building drill- of who we are. People want gas?

visibility in the company. ing rigs was historically very responsibility from the shop

I grew up in western Colorado challenging, particularly for ? oor to the corner of? ce. Let

Tell us more about your where the two best-paying the offshore segment, which your people know that you day-to-day role at NOV.

industries were coal and oil tended to come in late and trust and value them.

I look after our rig business. and gas. I applied to both. The over budget. In 2006, working

We noticed that you are

NOV Rig Systems is a s eg- oil and gas industry called with the shipyards and drilling well traveled-is there any ment within NOV that has me in the morning and the contractors, we were able to place that left a lasting 20,000 people working in 130 coal industry called me in the change the model by shifting impression? Why?

locations globally. We design, afternoon. I took that oil and to more standardization and manufacture, commission and gas job because I liked seeing improved processes.This new I have a soft spot in my heart support drilling rigs of all sizes blue skies. I started my career way of managing and execut- for Asia. In the 18 years and the equipment used on as a worm (rig hand). ing projects led the rig indus- that I lived and worked those rigs.

I worked my way up to try to achieve “on time” and overseas, I’ve spent eight of driller before I was 21 and “on budget” status regularly. those years there. I lived in

What is the most interest- then moved into rig manage- We fundamentally moved Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia ing part of your work?

ment. I moved around a lot as the main contracting to the and Singapore. It is a very

It’s that moment when I get to the industry was contracting shipyard, agreeing to a design dynamic, vibrant culture see it all come together in the in the mid-to-late 1980s. I hit where multiple copies of that with a business climate that shipyard or a rigup yard. It is a career milestone in 1986 that same rig could be fabricated includes great people with an amazing to look at the equip- was also a major crossroad for – bringing continuity to the entrepreneurial spirit. The cul- ment we’ve designed, manufac- me. I was asked to relocate process. In the past, designs ture includes a desire for ser- tured and pulled together into overseas, which was probably weren’t frozen before the start vice that you don’t see much this complete drilling system. the smartest move I ever made. of construction without clear in other places. It is one of my

We get to create assets that our

At the time, the international lines of responsibility. favorite parts of the world.

customers can run for 40 years. market was more stable, and I

Are there any lessons Oil prices are still on

That is the most rewarding and became a country manager in learned along the way? everyone’s mind, what’s exciting part of my job.

Malaysia. This role elevated

May 2015 | OE oedigital.com 156 156_OE0515_Faces.indd 156 4/20/15 6:02 PM