Uncapped with Executive Roustabouts

In this episode of Uncapped with Executive Roustabouts, Jon Krome sits down with Alex Archila, a seasoned executive with over 43 years of experience in the natural resources industry, whose career has spanned Texaco, Chevron, BHP, and leadership roles across the Americas, Europe, and Africa. A chemical engineer by training who began his career on drilling rigs in Guatemala, Alex rose to become President of North American Shale at BHP, led Chevron's operations in Canada and Colombia, and served as CEO of Madagascar Oil. Now retired and splitting his time between the US and Spain, he brings a uniquely global perspective on leadership, cultural adaptability, and the enduring fundamentals of the energy business.The conversation explores Alex's journey from scholarship recipient at Texaco to senior executive, offering candid reflections on the importance of mastering technical fundamentals, understanding the business side of engineering, and building a network across disciplines early in one's career. He shares hard-won advice on navigating corporate politics without losing one's identity, the value of cross-cultural leadership in countries as varied as Angola, the UK, Spain, and the Middle East, and the critical need for young engineers to develop resilience and a willingness to take on uncomfortable assignments. Alex also reflects on BHP's entry into shale, the misconceptions that led to overpaying for assets, and what he would have done differently—including a slower pace of development, better integration of acquired teams, and the strategic use of hedging to protect returns.Listen to the full conversation for a masterclass in leadership, career development, and the human side of energy from one of the industry's most thoughtful and globally experienced executives.

In this episode of Uncapped with Executive Roustabouts, Jon Krome sits down with Dave McKay, a veteran upstream leader whose career spans Mobil, Aera Energy, and Hess, where he played a pivotal role in developing some of the industry's most significant unconventional projects. A mechanical engineer by training from the University of Colorado, Dave started his career as an operations engineer in Guymon, Oklahoma, before moving through operations management roles in California and eventually leading Aera's development of the Diatomite Formation, one of the earliest unconventional plays. He later took on the challenge of starting up and managing Hess's Bakken Shale project in North Dakota, serving as vice president of production until his retirement in 2018.The conversation explores the evolution of unconventional development, where Dave reflects on the tension between manufacturing efficiency and continuous technical improvement. He shares candid insights on the challenges of adapting offshore expertise to onshore shale, the importance of balancing standardization with learning from each completion, and the critical role of operational reliability in maximizing value. Dave also offers a thoughtful perspective on core work in upstream oil and gas, arguing that reservoir knowledge and execution excellence must remain insourced to maintain competitive advantage. He discusses the complexities of contractor alignment, the importance of respect for people in driving quality and safety, and the promise of operations science and project production management in transforming how capital projects are executed.Listen to the full conversation for a masterclass in leadership, operational discipline, and the enduring principles that separate great upstream organizations from the rest.

In this episode of Uncapped with Executive Roustabouts, Jon Krome sits down with Arun Mitra, a seasoned financial executive who recently served as Executive Vice President and CFO of Weatherford International, one of the world's largest oilfield service companies. With over thirty years of global experience across the energy and industrial sectors, including senior roles at Mitsubishi Power Americas and Siemens, Mitra brings a unique perspective at the intersection of finance, technology, and infrastructure. A CFA, CPA, and ACA with a background in international business from the Wharton School, he has spent his career navigating complex capital allocation decisions, restructuring distressed businesses, and understanding what truly drives value in capital-intensive industries.The conversation explores the core work of oilfield service companies, where Mitra argues that competitive advantage ultimately rests on technology and people. He reflects on Weatherford's remarkable journey through acquisitions and bankruptcy, noting how the company's deep customer relationships and niche technological strengths in areas like managed pressure drilling and artificial lift helped it emerge as a formidable competitor to the industry's largest players. The discussion also turns to the power generation landscape, where Mitra offers a compelling analysis of the AI-driven surge in electricity demand. He explains the bottlenecks facing data centers, including multi-year interconnection queues and supply chain constraints on turbines and generators, and describes how behind-the-meter solutions like aeroderivatives, reciprocating engines, and fuel cells are rapidly gaining traction. He also shares insights from his work on the world's largest green hydrogen project, framing hydrogen not as a fuel but as a form of long-duration energy storage that can help balance intermittent renewables.Listen to the full conversation for a masterclass in energy finance, infrastructure dynamics, and the forces reshaping both oilfield services and power generation in the age of AI.

In this episode of Uncapped with Executive Roustabouts, Jon Krome sits down with Walter van de Vijver, a true legend of the oil and gas industry with over forty-five years of experience across Shell, private equity, and global energy leadership. A civil engineer by training from Delft University, Walter's career took him from early assignments in Bakersfield and Oman to the top E&P role at Shell, followed by successful ventures in the private equity world with Delta Hydrocarbons and leadership roles at Reliance Industries. Now a partner at Forager Energy, a Houston-based royalty and mineral rights company, Walter brings a wealth of perspective shaped by decades of international experience and a passion for creating value that has never dimmed.The conversation ranges across Walter's remarkable career journey, from the autonomy he enjoyed as a young engineer in California to the lessons learned navigating the complexities of Shell's global culture and the very different, trust-based environment at Reliance. He reflects on the pressures of entrepreneurship versus corporate leadership, the importance of taking ownership and sticking your neck out, and the value of transferring learnings across geographies and disciplines. The discussion also tackles the industry's biggest challenges, including the strategic missteps of European majors in the energy transition, the importance of effective communication about oil and gas's essential role, and the potential for AI and data management to drive the next wave of innovation. Walter's optimism about the industry's future is unmistakable, rooted in the conviction that oil and gas will remain indispensable for decades to come.Listen to the full conversation for a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and strategic thinking from one of the industry's most respected and thoughtful executives.

In this episode of Uncapped with Executive Roustabouts, Jon Krome sits down with David Purvis, a veteran leader with over three decades of experience across Shell and BHP Petroleum. A chemical engineer by training who discovered his passion for reservoir engineering through a serendipitous internship in New Orleans, Purvis went on to hold technical and leadership roles spanning the Gulf of Mexico, international assignments in Brunei, and ultimately the position of Vice President of Engineering and Operations at BHP. Now retired from the corporate world, he coaches business owners through The Alternative Board, teaches petroleum engineering at Mississippi State, and is the bestselling author of Climbing Your Career Tree: Life Lessons to Grow the Leader Within You.The conversation ranges across the evolving nature of technical work, the importance of building deep functional expertise before seeking broader leadership roles, and the enduring value of human judgment in an era of rapid technological change. Purvis reflects on the critical role of subsurface characterization as the foundation of upstream value creation, the distinction between protecting and creating value through operational excellence, and the importance of scenario planning in navigating geopolitical and market uncertainty. He also offers a grounded perspective on AI, distinguishing between its utility as a productivity tool for engineers and the need for human oversight in higher-stakes decisions. The discussion touches on emerging technologies like geothermal, the shifting landscape of innovation from major labs to mid-size operators and service companies, and practical advice for young professionals entering the industry today.Listen to the full conversation for an insightful look at career development, leadership, and the future of energy from a leader who has spent a lifetime learning, teaching, and coaching others to grow.