Editorial: It’s been an honor to lead IADC through a year of powerful accomplishments

By Jay Minmier, 2014 IADC Chairman

It is with a great sense of accomplishment that I wrap up my year as Chairman of IADC. As a member of the association for more than 23 years, and with previous experience on the Executive Committee, I have great respect for the work and output of my industry colleagues within IADC. This past year alone, we have seen tremendous changes in our association.

The first is the most obvious. IADC has a new logo, and a new look and feel. I think that we can all agree that the industry has changed tremendously since the previous logo was first introduced in 1959. As the industry changes and evolves, so does IADC to provide solutions the industry needs. The new logo is meant to serve as a visual cue that our association has transformed.

Beyond the visual signs, IADC itself has changed in ways big and small to respond to growing industry needs.

For the first time in 40 years, the IADC Governance documents were overhauled to better reflect the current state of the organization. We also established the Onshore and Offshore Advisory Panels. The two groups, comprised of onshore and offshore company representatives, meet three times a year to engage in robust discussion to determine IADC’s future priorities and to match IADC’s deliverables to members’ critical needs.

A new generation of technology has changed the way that we drill, allowing us to commercialize what were once considered marginal reservoirs. New geographies are being opened up, and we are accessing targets previously unavailable to us.

Given these facts, it’s a good time to be in this industry.  But we are not without challenges. Of particular concern is rig crew competency. Each incident reminds us that we are only as good as the people we employ. It is imperative that we provide proper training, measure for comprehension and audit for retention. IADC member companies get this.  Throughout my visits this year, I’ve been impressed with the resources, time and energy being devoted to the development of competency-based training programs.

IADC has been on the forefront of leading the charge on these efforts.

The IADC Knowledge, Skill and Ability competencies, unveiled in July, offer a checklist of competencies for more than 73 rig-based positions. Initiated in 2012, more than 70 of our colleagues contributed to the development of the KSAs, which are now housed in a database on IADC’s website, available free of charge to all.

Similarly, the Workforce Attraction and Development Initiative (WADI) was initiated to address training and competency from an entry-level perspective. The program partners representatives from the drilling industry with colleges to develop entry-level training curriculums. The initiative picked up steam in the past year, recruiting both US and international colleges to participate in the effort. It’s a unique partnership as it allows our industry to detail the exact skills needed for success.

These accomplishments represent a monumental effort to galvanize the industry around an issue and tap our collective brain trust to develop solutions. I believe that IADC is uniquely positioned for this kind of work, serving as a catalyst for necessary and important solutions.

Our activities have not gone unnoticed. As IADC has stepped up to lead the drilling industry, regulators and the media are proactively seeking us out as an authoritative representative of the industry. We are more frequently tapped to contribute our expertise in proposed legislation and regulation, with a presence in all areas of the globe where IADC’s members operate. Recognizing IADC’s influence, the media has sought out IADC experts for comment on the most pressing industry news stories.

IADC’s voice is powerful. We are not backing down from addressing the most critical needs of the industry. While there remains much work to be done, I am proud of all of our many successes in 2014.

It has truly been an honor to give back to an organization that, throughout my career, has meant so much to the industry, to me personally, and to my family. I look forward to the future and have every expectation that IADC’s guidance and contributions will continue to make our industry better.