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PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.

PESA- Petroleum Equipment Service & Association is a proud sponsor of this episode.

 Bill Langin, the VP of Exploration - North America & Brazil at Shell, shared his amazing oilfield story with us, and we hope you are as inspired as we were.

Raised by a single mother, Bill and his two siblings grew up in a depressed area in Northeastern Pennsylvania. He was particularly close to his maternal grandfather who taught him from an early age that hard work, dedication, and perseverance were the keys to success.  Bill was also deeply impacted by the humbling stories his grandfather shared about growing up during the Great Depression, including taking his wagon to the government food bank to get food and supplies so that the family had enough to eat.  Times were so tough that his grandfather was forced to turn down a full scholarship to Penn State so that he could serve in the army to support his family. These poignant stories of resiliency instilled in Bill an unwavering resolve to succeed, no matter what the odds. He was inspired and propelled to excel in both academics and sports. Eventually, that hard work was rewarded with an acceptance letter to one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the US: Princeton University!  Bill’s story goes to show that you can develop yourself and work your way from humble beginnings to an executive role at a major company!

Despite his grit and determination, Bill’s oilfield journey was not without its challenges. While Princeton was a dream come true, the academic rigor of the Ivy League college was a struggle at first. But he soon found a passion for geology and landed an internship as a field engineer with Schlumberger. It was another success, but it also was the summer of 1998, when the industry was knee-deep in a downturn.  The price of oil was a mere $9.00 per barrel.   It was a sobering experience to see so many colleagues lose their jobs and to witness firsthand how volatile the oil field service sector can be. 

At the end of this internship, he decided that furthering his education would give him the strongest chance of securing the best possible job.  When he looked into his options, it appeared that a PhD program (as opposed to a Masters or MBA) was actually the most cost-effective way to obtain the degree he would need.  Instead of paying, he would be paid as a teaching and research assistant while working towards a degree. So that’s what he did, completing a PhD at Cornell University in just under four years. 

In August of 2003, Bill started his first full-time job in the energy industry with Shell. He came into Shell with an open mind and started to not just apply the standard workflows, but also to try to improve the tools and processes for everyone so that the company could benefit.  In one particular module in the seismic software, he noticed that something looked off.  Despite a high-end computer workstation sitting under his desk, he told his boss “I don't think this is correct and I need a protractor”.  He went back to the “old school” way of figuring out problems, with paper, pencil, and handwritten math. Ultimately, on this occasion, he was right!  Through this story, Bill describes his approach to how he addresses Shell with his thoughts and ideas on improving processes. This is great advice for anyone looking to approach their employer with a solution, without coming across in a negative way.

In the podcast, Bill talks about his progression over the years with his leadership style and how he had to adapt as his team grew. In Houston he managed a group of 80, then in Oman a group of 200, and after that in Australia he found himself responsible for a group of nearly 2,000. He describes how, in his experience, you need to stay connected with your employees.  He reflects on a pivotal career moment in Australia that shaped his leadership approach to safety and taught him that empowerment, combined with genuine, heartfelt care, could positively impact an entire organization. 

Bill also touches on diversity and inclusion. He talks in depth about some of the factors that drive his focus on inclusion and making sure everyone feels that they can bring all of their effort, talent, and creativity into their job. Bill believes that focusing on an inclusive culture is one of the keys to getting the best out of employees.

Bill also touches on Shell’s views on reducing emissions and its carbon footprint. He describes the breakdown of the emissions impacts in different aspects of the oil and gas value chain. Listen in to find out how Shell is striving to reduce their overall net footprint to deliver a net zero emissions business.

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