Oilwoman Magazine May/June 2023 : simplebooklet.com

2Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comMAY — JUNE 2023PUBLISHER Emmanuel SullivanEDITOR-IN-CHIEF Rebecca PontonMANAGING EDITOR Nick VaccaroASSISTANT EDITOR Sarah SkinnerCOPY EDITOR Shannon WestCREATIVE DIRECTOR Kim FischerCONTRIBUTING EDITORS Erica D’Eramo Lee Jourdan Angela McKaneADVERTISING SALES Diana George Connie LaughlinSUBSCRIBE To subscribe to Oilwoman Magazine, please visit our website, www.oilwomanmagazine.com/subscribe. MAILING ADDRESS U.S. Energy Media P.O. Box 3786 Galveston, TX 77552 Phone: (800) 562-2340 e-mail: editor@usenergymedia.comCOPYRIGHT The contents of this publication are copyright 2023 by U.S. Energy Media, LLC, with all rights restricted. Any reproduction or use of content without written consent of U.S. Energy Media, LLC is strictly prohibited.All information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed. Oilwoman Magazine reserves the right to edit all contributed articles. Editorial content does not necessarily reect the opinions of the publisher. Any advice given in editorial content or advertisements should be considered information only. Cover photo courtesy of Simon Hewson.LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEFCONTRIBUTORS — BiographiesRebecca Ponton, Editor-in-Chief, OILWOMAN MagazineI rst corresponded with Yassmin Abdel-Magied in 2015 when I was working on my book, Breaking the GAS Ceiling: Women in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry (Modern History Press; 2019). She was a 24 year old mechanical engineer working on offshore rigs in various locations around the world. She loved the work and told me she could envision working offshore “the rest of her life” – under certain circumstances. However, life intervened. Yassmin ended up leaving the oil and gas industry, but it never really left her. She wrote about it in her memoir, Yassmin’s Story (Bantam Australia; March 2016), and again in her latest book, Talking About A Revolution (Random House Australia; October 2022). In this issue, we are doing things a little bit differently and letting Yassmin’s writing do the talking for her in place of an interview. The excerpt is aptly titled “On the Rigs,” and was written 10 years ago, as she documented her rst experiences offshore. The women mentioned in the article “North Sea Pioneers” are some of the rst female offshore oil and gas workers – nurses, engineers and geologists – who paved the way for Yassmin and other young women like her, to be able to go offshore decades later. I had the privilege of talking to Ann Cairns and Anne Grete Ellingsen for my book and am still amazed, not only at their courage but their eagerness and enthusiasm, in going offshore in those early days. As Ann Cairns said, “It was cutting edge.”Now, some 45 years or so later, we are applying that same technology, along with new innovations, to develop alternative forms of energy. I have no doubt that we will soon be writing about the women who pioneered the offshore wind energy industry and what it was like in the “early days,” which at least in the U.S., where Block Island Wind Farm became the rst commercial offshore wind farm in 2016, are happening right now. History is in the making!Erica D’EramoEngineer by trade. Diversity, equity and inclusion professional by choice. With a successful two decade career in the international energy industry, and having been one of the few women in her eld, Erica D’Eramo has made it her life’s work to create diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces through research, best practice and lived experiences. She is passionate about reconciling the academic perspective with practical application to enable organizations to elevate their DEI efforts and change the workplace landscape through those activities with the greatest impact. In 2016, D’Eramo founded Two Piers Consulting to support under-represented communities in the workforce, and provide companies with the tools and strategies to effectively create and grow truly diverse and inclusive workplaces. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University, and an Executive MBA from University of Texas at Austin. Lee JourdanLee Jourdan is Chevron’s former global chief diversity and inclusion ofcer and former vice president commercial and business development for Chevron’s IndoAsia and Asia South business units. He has been published by The Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, and interviewed by SHRM and Pulitzer Prize winner Daniel Yergin on DEI. Jourdan is co-author of From Shoeshine to Star Wars and was recognized by Business Insider in 2020 as one of 100 people transforming business in North America. Today, he is a director on the boards of PROS Holdings (NYSE: PRO) and the nonprot SEARCH Homeless Services, an advisory board member at Pulsely Inc., and Ally Energy, and a special advisor to FTI Consulting, author and keynote speaker.Angela McKaneAngela McKane’s role entails leading a team of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) responsible for horizon scanning for emerging or disruptive technology innovations that will shape our changing global energy system, as well as oversight of her team’s internal technology research service that provides deep insight on the potential for new technologies across bp Group.

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4Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comCOACHINGWhen You’re Faced With A Toxic Workplace By Erica D’EramoSurviving toxic work environments is a common theme among many individuals I support in my coaching and mentor-ship practices. Let me be clear: I never believe some-one should have to survive a toxic work environment. The onus should not be on the individual to adapt to a problematic workplace. Too often, this survival is set as an implicit goal simply because we tackle the challenges put in front of us.Let’s start by understanding what consti-tutes a toxic work environment. It’s one with a culture that does not prioritize respect as a value and does not recognize each individual’s humanity. It’s a work-place that leverages shame or guilt and disregards boundaries. Symptoms that could indicate a toxic workplace include anxiety, recurring nightmares, question-ing your reality, and feeling like you can’t trust anyone.A small percentage of people enjoy and even thrive in toxic work environments. These are often people whose sense of identity is rooted in hierarchical status and power. Some may nd Machiavellian scheming a fun challenge. People who have spent their careers in these envi-ronments may have become skilled in navigating them and benet by perpetu-ating them.Most people, however, do not enjoy these environments and do not thrive in them, including many of the people and leaders who are unwittingly creat-ing them.So, when a client or mentee comes to me with the challenge of surviving a toxic work environment, how do we tackle it?First, we explore what the real goal is. What’s the underlying reason for wanting to “survive,” i.e., remain in this situation? Often, it may feel like we don’t have any other option and, while that’s sometimes the case in the short term, it’s nearly never true in the long term.Is the goal nancial stability? Is it to prove yourself as capable or tough enough? Are you striving to endure because a toxic work environment is all you’ve known and is where you feel most comfortable? Or is it because you see yourself as an agent of change who will shift the organization from the inside?These are all valid reasons for wanting to “survive” a toxic work environment. Understanding your unique motivations allows us to weigh the alternatives for achieving that goal more effectively.As a coach and mentor, I want the individuals I work with to have fullling and joyous lives. While I suspect staying in a toxic work environment long term is incompatible with joy, I help my clients in whatever direction they feel supports their overarching goals, even if that means learning to survive where they are.Perhaps a client’s goal is to retire early, and they just need a couple more years to vest and accumulate their “walk away” money. We could focus on ways to protect their mental and physical health and remain effective. These might include skills like setting and maintaining bound-aries, navigating difcult conversations or handling disrespectful interactions. We may introduce mindfulness exercises to create space, perspective and a sense of being grounded in high-stress, destabiliz-ing environments.Since toxic work environments can chip away at our identity, these practices would be paired with inner work focused on fully developing and protecting a sense of self. When we are exceedingly focused on adapting and camouaging, we can lose sight of who we truly are. In walling our-selves off to protect our more vulnerable parts, we risk losing connection to them.For folks who see survival as a longer-term endeavor, I’d want to explore their underlying reasons and unpack where those goals came from. If we believe that we are obligated to tackle any challenge in front of us, then it’s worth understanding where that belief came from. Who gave it to us? What’s stopping us from saying “no” or taking our ball and going home? We demonize quitting in our society, yet the anti-quitting narrative benets op-pressive systems and encourages people to stay in non-benecial situations longer than they should. If staying the course supports your long-term goals, then some tenacity and resilience will be necessary. But an unquestioned aversion to quitting Photo courtesy of studiostoks – www.123RF.com

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5Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comCOACHINGoften harms the individual and benets the system. We witnessed a shift in this dynamic during the pandemic when people left their jobs in droves. Priorities shifted, the true nature of employer/em-ployee loyalty became apparent, and the result was that people walked.We have no resource as valuable and irre-placeable as our time. When someone is struggling with whether to endure a toxic work environment, I usually reframe the question as an investment decision. We explore whether their investment of time, energy and opportunity cost is paying the dividend that they expect it to. If the answer is no, we can and should look at how to close out our position and extract our resources to reinvest them in a more promising opportunity. That may not be a near-term transaction; perhaps we can minimize losses by waiting a year. In that case, a person could use that time to explore options and plan a transition. With this framing, we are decision-mak-ers empowered to make strategic changes rather than test subjects undergoing an assessment of willpower or strength.As a leader and a coach, I thoroughly reject the idea of endurance tests by way of workplace trauma. If you want to know what you are capable of enduring, you can train for a marathon or attempt a three-hour seated meditation. Those ex-plorations of capability and strength do not need to come at your own expense for the benet of a toxic employer. And, for those leaders who still feel a sense of pride in putting their employees through hell, I’d invite you to question how that trauma makes them better at their jobs and why your company’s mission is de-pendent upon harming human beings.Engineer by trade. Diversity, equity and inclusion professional by choice. With a successful two decade career in the international energy industry, and having been one of the few women in her eld, Erica D’Eramo has made it her life’s work to create diverse, inclusive and equi-table workplaces through research, best practice and lived experiences. She is passionate about reconciling the academic perspective with practical application to enable organizations to elevate their DEI efforts and change the workplace landscape through those activities with the greatest impact. In 2016, D’Eramo founded Two Piers Consulting to support under-repre-sented communities in the workforce, and provide companies with the tools and strategies to effectively create and grow truly diverse and inclusive workplaces. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University, and an Executive MBA from University of Texas at Austin. together is betterWe offer leadership coaching, DEI consulting and interactive workshops to help unlock, cultivate and support the talent in your organization and create diverse, representative workforces.Erica D’Eramo, Founder and CEO – Two Piers Consulting, PBCinfo@twopiersconsulting.com | +1 (713) 396-0426 | @twopiersconsultwww.TwoPiersConsulting.com

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6Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comENERGY MIX10 Reasons the Energy Mix Matters Now More Than Ever By Merilee Kern, MBA As the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions gains momentum, the un-dercurrent of seismic cultural shifts is creating a challenging business landscape for energy companies to ourish. Indeed, varied energy-specic concerns continue to dominate the news cycle – both intra-industry related to technology modern-ization, scalability, adaptability, genera-tional recruitment and more as well as environmental, societal and cultural issues of consumer resonance. With energy companies a crossroad, Southern Gas Association CEO Su-zanne Ogle is weighing in with some consequential insight. “I have a unique perspective on the importance of our na-tion’s energy mix and why it matters now more than ever,” Ogle notes. “There are 10 key reasons why a comprehensive en-ergy mix is crucial to sustain, and further, America’s energy security, innovation, geopolitical stability and climate goals.”1. Energy Supply and Demand Imbalance – Global Bottlenecks and Price SpikesThe world is facing an energy supply and demand imbalance that is causing global bottlenecks and price spikes. The demand for energy will only increase over the next 30 years as the middle class expands, and we cannot ignore this growing demand or our reliance on foreign powers. The energy mix plays a crucial role in address-ing our long-term energy needs, ensuring that we can produce the energy the world needs while lowering emissions and car-bon intensity.2. Solving Our Energy and Climate NeedsWorking together, we can create smarter, better energy that meets our growing needs while reducing emissions. Modern-izing our energy infrastructure will allow us to produce reliable and affordable energy with the lowest emissions pos-sible. The energy mix is a crucial tool in solving our energy and climate needs and ensuring a sustainable future for genera-tions to come.3. Energy SecurityEnergy security is a critical concern for the United States and around the world. CEO Suzanne OglePhoto courtesy of mrokibul – www.123RF.com

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7Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comENERGY MIXEnsuring secure and affordable energy supplies, as well as system exibility, is vital to protecting the resilience of our electricity. The energy mix is a crucial component of our energy security strat-egy, providing a reliable source of energy and reducing our dependence on foreign powers.4. Geopolitical InstabilityIn today’s global community, the world looks to the United States for energy supplies and assistance. The energy mix plays an important role in meeting our own nation’s energy needs while also providing energy to our foreign allies. This reduces their dependence on un-reliable suppliers and helps to promote geopolitical stability. The recent events in Europe serve as a reminder that energy security is national security.5. CyberthreatsThe increasing use of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power has raised concerns about the security of our energy infrastructure. The diffuse and decentralized nature of renewable generation makes it more vulnerable to cyberattacks. The energy mix helps to mitigate these risks by providing a diverse and resilient energy supply.6. Private Capital MarketsViable energy solutions do not need subsidies, they need assurance from the capital markets that projects are viable and won’t be delayed or revisited. It takes the government years to approve permits, and Congress must come to-gether to reform permitting for modern infrastructure. The energy mix provides the assurance needed for private capital markets to invest in energy solutions that will meet our future energy needs.7. Energy JusticeLowering emissions in the United States while raising them abroad is not justice. Producing and exporting more energy helps to lower emissions globally and create a more sustainable future for all. The energy mix provides a path to en-ergy justice by reducing emissions while meeting our energy needs.8. InnovationAmerica is leading the way in energy in-novation, investing in – and developing – new technologies that deliver reliable energy while reducing emissions. The en-ergy mix is a crucial component of this innovation, utilizing carbon capture and utilization, renewable natural gas, and ad-dressing the energy production process, including are management.9. Need for a Cohesive Energy PolicyReversing rhetoric and seeking bipartisan problem-solving is crucial to building consensus around meaningful energy re-CFO Services and Business Management ConsultingGet The Most From Your Energy BusinessOur Energy CFOs Help You Understand Your Company’s Financial Health and Drive Growth Save Time And Money • Transform Your Business • Understand Your Finances • Build Leader CondenceSchedule a CFO Consultation • www.theenergycfo.com • cfoinfo@theenergycfo.com • 210-802-8640 Continued on next page...

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8Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comENERGY MIXform. Policies that enhance the Ameri-can energy supply chain and encourage investment will provide the founda-tion for a cohesive energy policy that meets our energy needs while reducing emissions. The energy mix is a crucial component of this policy, providing a diverse and resilient energy supply.10. America’s Energy AdvantageAmerica can step up and help the world meet demand. American in-frastructure and innovation and the strength of our nation provide energy security for American people and our Allies. This will be imperative in keep-ing America’s place in the world and as an example of how we lead.Not to be confused with the power generation mix, which refers only to generation of electricity, the energy mix applies to all direct uses of energy, such as transportation and housing. Last year, natural gas fueled over a third (38 percent) of U.S. electricity generation, up from 37 percent in 2021, while coal-red electricity generated 20 percent. Key to our nation’s energy security, a viable energy mix helps thwart system and supply disruption. Reports con-tinue to underscore how diversifying our energy mix, to include an array of low-carbon resources – both renewable and not – helps build political indepen-dence, economic growth and environ-mental protection for all. With this diversication deemed mis-sion critical, it’s more important now than ever before to empower innova-tion and incorporate new technology and solutions to meet the energy needs of today, tomorrow and beyond.Merilee Kern, MBA, is a brand strategist and analyst who reports on industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators: eld experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Kern is also founder, execu-tive editor and producer of “The Luxe List” as well and is host of both the “Savvy Ventures” busi-ness TV show that airs nationally on FOX Business TV and Bloomberg TV and the “Savvy Living” lifestyle TV show airing in top U.S. markets. Connect with her on Instagram. Twitter. Facebook. LinkedIn. Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ener-gy_mix#:~:text=Energy%20mix%20refers%20to%20all,only%20to%20generation%20of%20electricity https://www.eia.gov/out-looks/steo/report/electricity.php#:~:text=Natural%20gas%20fuels%2038%25%20of,2022%20

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10Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comPSYCHOLOGYU.K. Industry Leaders Take Action to Improve Mental Health Support for Energy Workers By North Sea Chapter, IADCSenior gures from the U.K.’s energy industry have agreed to establish a mental health charter to improve the support available to workers in the North Sea.More than 150 leaders from the operator and supply chain communities from as far aeld as Nigeria and Australia joined psychologists, mental health profes-sionals and the third sector for the rst ever industry-wide discussion on how to improve mental well-being services for offshore and onshore employees.They heard there was a critical need for action now to improve the support avail-able to workers and reduce the industry’s growing mental health problem.The landmark event, which marks a historic turning point in the industry’s approach to mental health, was organized by the North Sea Chapter of the Interna-tional Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) and held in April at the Chester Hotel, Aberdeen, Scotland.It followed the recent publication of a report from the IADC called Changing Minds: Saving Lives, which demands an urgent new approach to mental health in the North Sea. A recent study by the In-ternational SOS Foundation of onshore and offshore workers found 40 percent experienced suicidal thoughts some or all of the time while on duty.Guest speakers at the Aberdeen event were Darren Sutherland, chair of the IADC North Sea chapter; Reverend Gordon Craig, chaplain to the U.K. oil and gas industry; Cami Rose Alexander, wellbeing and personal development coach, DC Thomson; Kim Woolner, head of people and culture, Ithaca En-ergy; and Brett Townsley, mental health harm prevention and psychological safety specialist and director of Omniscient Safety Innovations Ltd. The speakers highlighted the need for an industry-wide culture change, led by business leaders, to achieve meaningful improvements in mental health support.Delegates were told that while the industry had improved its approach to mental health in recent years, including the adoption of employee assistance pro-grams and campaigns, these had not been impactful enough – leading to criticisms of signposting or box ticking.Key issues raised at the event included the best ways to achieve the necessary culture change, the effective measuring of improvements in mental health sup-port, and ways to share best practices.Darren Sutherland: “As an industry we have faced many challenges over the years and have developed solutions such as the safety case regime and time out for safety. These are programs that started in the North Sea and are now globally accepted.”“We have an opportunity to act together and drive change in how we approach mental health. Workers are not looking for us to speak more. They are looking for us to take action. Let’s leave a legacy of change for the workforce behind us.”“Leaders are expected to set the pace, but they also need support. We need to en-sure mental health and wellbeing are part of strategic planning. We are measured on EBITDA and our incident frequency rates, should we be measured on how well we are doing with supporting our people too? We talk about the need to walk the talk, but with mental health we need to walk the walk. It’s going to take leadership to make the change.”Cami Rose Alexander: “Unlike physi-cal health which can be obvious, mental health is not always as visible. How do we get more comfortable with our fears and vulnerabilities in our darkest mo-ments? Now is the time to reconnect with our humanity.” Reverend Gordon Craig: “There can be a stigma offshore where people may feel bad but don’t want to talk about it because they feel they should be able to Left to right: Kim Woolner, head of people and culture, Ithaca Energy; Brett Townsley, mental health harm prevention and psychological safety specialist; Cami Rose Alexander, mental health practitioner, DC Thomson; Reverend Gordon Craig, chaplain to the U.K. oil and gas industry; Darren Sutherland, chairman, IADC; and Kristin Gove, head of communications, Global Underwater Hub. Photo courtesy of IADC.

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11Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comPSYCHOLOGYdeal with it. They may also feel if they tell anyone they might not get offered another offshore trip. We have to change this culture and that can be done from the top down.”Kim Woolner: “We have to talk about a collaborative approach. We have a duty of care to employees to look after them. That means taking a considered and proactive approach to create a supportive environment. This is not HR’s job to x it alone; it is part of everyone’s job.”Brett Townsley: “One in three people will experience common mental illness that is not diagnosable within 12 months, but we are still xated on the treatment side. Our response to someone becom-ing ill is to react instead of thinking about how we will prevent them becom-ing ill in the rst place. In the energy industry we are xers but there can be multiple stages before we hit x. We have to build a culture that enables visibility around mental health while protecting the individual’s rights.”A steering group has been tasked with developing an inclusive mental health charter which will be published at the end of May. The charter will aim to set minimum standards for mental health care provision, make the best use of ex-isting mental health tools, and lay out the principles for creating a safe psychologi-cal and caring work environment. Energy companies will be encouraged to sign up to it and share with staff to advance behavioral change.ABOUT IADCThe International Association Drilling Contractors (IADC) is a non-prot trade association that is the global leader in advancing and promoting in-novative technology and safe practices that bring oil and gas to the world’s consumers. Oilwoman Cartoon

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12Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comBOOKSHELFDetermined To Lead: A Leadership Book Specifically Tailored for Female Professionals and LeadersBy Nada AhmedDetermined to Lead: The Disrup-tive Woman’s Guide to Stop Playing Small and Transform Your Career through Agile Leadership is a re-markable book by Nada Ahmed that offers female professionals and leaders a powerful guide to overcoming the challenges and harsh realities of being the only woman in the room. Nada Ahmed, an award-winning lead-er in the offshore oil and gas and maritime industry, draws on her extensive experience to pro-vide actionable advice on how women can become successful leaders in today’s digital age.Through her own journey, and stories of other powerful women, she reminds us that women can become unstop-pable game-changers and true pioneers when they believe in themselves. She shares her insights on navigating male-dominated environments including handling microaggres-sions, building resilience, letting go of self-doubt, and showing up more authentically.Nada began working in the energy industry in Houston, Texas, from where her work took her to Norway. Norway is one of the most gender-progressive countries in the world. And yet, the number of women working in the oil and gas industry was comparable to anywhere else in the world. The gender gap persists through all levels of leadership, even in Norway.As she rose to leadership and began to have more prominent and visible roles, she was exposed to challenges that many other women have faced. In this book, Nada talks honestly about the challenges she faced, and what lessons she has learned from them, generously sharing her reections so we can all learn and grow with her. The book is structured in a way that exposes readers to both the data and theoretical concepts while weaving in thoughtful stories and practi-cal personal experiences, mak-ing it a very captivating read. Nada’s leadership philosophy focuses on embracing femi-ninity and cultivating a strong inner compass to guide us on our journeys.This book is particularly relevant for women who are new to a leadership role or who want to hone their skills. Nada argues that women are not failing to advance because they lack the drive or skills. They are failing because they are navigating a system that was not designed for them. She shows us examples of how the work-place has been built on male-dominated values, schedules and perfor-mance systems that often ex-clude or disad-vantage women.She states that if we want to cre-ate a workplace that truly values and includes women, we need to acknowledge and embrace the differences between men and women.

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13Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comBOOKSHELFOur brains, physiology, energy levels and moods are different and, instead of try-ing to t everyone into the same mold, we need to design a workplace that ac-commodates these differences. We need to value traits like compassion, empathy, vulnerability and collaboration – traits that are often labeled as “feminine” but are crucial to success in any workplace. If we want to create a workplace that works for everyone, we need to system-atically work to change the workplace culture, value systems and leadership styles. We need to keep the door open for other women and create space for them to succeed. Determined to Lead is an inspiring and empowering book that reminds us of the power of believing in ourselves and shows us how we can become successful leaders in our own right. It is a well-writ-ten and thought-provoking book that un-doubtedly will help women break down barriers and achieve their dreams.If you are a woman with leadership am-bitions or if you are already a leader who wants to hone your skills, then this book is for you.Excerpted with permission from Determined to Lead by Nada Ahmed (Agile Leadership; (February 2023). Click on the link to purchase.Nada Ahmed is a corporate leader turned entrepreneur, innovative strate-gist, leadership coach and angel investor with expertise in innovation and digital transformation of the offshore industry. As the founder of Agile Leadership, she guides businesses toward the forefront of change through customer-centric design thinking, agile methodologies and leadership training. She also serves as leadership and career coach for female corporate leaders and entrepreneurs. Ahmed has 15 years of corporate leadership experience in the energy and maritime industries, and has spent most of her career in Houston and Norway. She serves on the board of directors for Greig Maritime Group and Climatepoint. Ahmed has been recognized on the 2020 list of the top 50 women in technology in Norway and was on the 2021 list of high-achieving leaders under 40 awarded by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan. She is the host of the Braving Innovation podcast, where she shares her wealth of knowledge and experience to inspire and empower entrepreneurs worldwide. Ahmed runs leadership mastermind pro-grams specically designed for women. To nd out more, visit her website. ADVERTISE WITH US!Are you looking to expand your reach in the oil and gas marketplace? Do you have a product or service that would beneﬁt the industry? If so, we would like to speak with you! We have a creative team that can design your ad! Call us (800) 562-2340 Ex. 1 OilwomanMagazine.com/advertise Advertising@OilmanMagazine.com

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14Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comDIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION______ Haired Freaky People Need Not Apply By Lee JourdanFor those of you unfamiliar with these lyrics from a 1971 song called Signs by the Five Man Electrical Band, the missing word is “Long.” The lyrics discouraged people with long hair from applying for a job. I’ve left it blank because ve de-cades later, for some of our society, not much has changed. And, for others, the list of adjectives has arguably expanded to include dreadlocks, gray, hijab, turban and other non-mainstream descriptions of how we present our heads – none of them having to do with our ability to perform our jobs.Harry Saluja, who is a strategic portfolio manager for a multinational energy giant, belongs to the Sikh faith (pronounced “sick” not “seek”). One of the tenets of his faith requires that he not cut his hair – ever. Men manage it by wrapping it under stylish, colorful turbans. They tie their beards in an artistic knot under the chin in such a tidy fashion that the beard appears to have been trimmed. Colorful turbans and full beards are a common sight in India, but not so much in the West. During Saluja’s career, one of his well-meaning mentors suggested that if he cut his hair, and lose the turban, he would have much more career success. He declined. But many of his Sikh friends acquiesced and cut their hair. No doubt a difcult decision, requiring them to reect on their authenticity. Employees should not have to make these compromises. Authenticity also comes in many colors, literally. Blue and purple hair dye are popular these days, as is a yellow streak in the hair of someone with naturally black hair. Sometimes we wonder, how serious can they be when they seem to be plucking colors from a rainbow? It should not be a consideration for hiring or promotion. Some cultural norms pres-sure people to dye their hair as they grow older. An associate shared with me that she dyes her hair for the sole purpose of continuing to be able to compete as she ages. Interestingly, some of the stron-gest voices reinforc-ing the notion that women must dye their hair until they die are other women.Lahaja Furaha, who leads DEI culture change for the Wash-ington Post was in her early 20s when her hairdresser noticed her rst strands of gray hair. “It’s aging you,” was a common refrain from other women at the hair salon. “I remember leaving the salon, driving down the street, and literally yanking out every strand I could nd and letting the wind take them away.”Over the next several de-cades she continued to dye her hair because that was the image she wanted to see reect-ed back at her in the mirror. Her commu-nity – her colorist and her friends – rein-forced her decision, telling her, “Going gray will age you.” But, at some point, af-ter years of dying and countless hours at the salon, she decided to experiment with letting her natural color emerge. At rst, she sported just a shock of silver hair in the front, but eventually grew it all out. Now, she can’t go a day without receiving compliments from friends and strangers alike. She knows that ditching the dye was the best hair decision she’s made. And, to be clear, “It’s silver not gray.”Interestingly, this month, her employer ran an article highlighting the trend in Brazil. “[In] the country that leads the world in plastic surgery, some prominent women are embracing gray hair.”With most Black women, the issue isn’t hair color; it’s curliness. Curli-ness is not the norm in a Eurocentric culture. The natural hair of most Black women and men is curly. Very curly. Trying to manage it in a culture where the majority of almost every other race has straight hair has been a long history of scalp abuse accompa-nied by cussing and prayer. It’s not just an issue of tting in. It’s also about being accepted for wearing cultural hairstyles such as dreadlocks. But to do so comes with risk, not just from a fashion and “ac-ceptance” perspective; hairstyle discrimi-nation is still legal. As I wrote in my May 10, 2022, op-ed for the Washington Post:On March 21, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to make it unlawful to discriminate because of hairstyle. Next, the bill will go to the Senate where measures to pass a similar act have previously failed. If approved by the Senate, it would ban race-based hair discrimination in employment and against those participating in federally as-sisted programs, housing programs, and public accommodations. Eighteen states have either passed a similar law or are considering it. But there is no guarantee that all 50 states will pass such a law. Two states have seen t to pass laws prevent-Lahaja Furaha Now and ThenHarry Saluja Now and Then

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15Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comDIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSIONing discrimination based on hair styles associated with race. And legislation is currently pending in seven more.To those unaware or not impacted by this [harassment and discrimination] the bill may seem trivial or concocted by the “woke” culture. It is not. Just one example is the case of Chastity Jones. In 2010, she was red from her job because she wore her hair in a short, dreadlock style. She sued her former employer, lost, and appealed to the Supreme Court where she lost again. The Supreme Court upheld the lower court ruling, arguing that a hairstyle is not inevitable and im-mutable just because it is a reasonable result of hair texture. Or Kristi Kennebrew, a recruiter for Mi-crosoft, who in March posted on Linke-dIn about an email from a troll who told her to “tone it down, make it at… or cut it all off.”Or the case of Deanna and Mya Cook, Black twins who, in 2017, were given detention and threatened with suspen-sion for wearing braids at Mystic Val-ley Regional Charter School which, at the time, the school’s dress code policy prohibited. Fortunately, most of us aren’t waiting for laws to be passed, and many large organi-zations are embracing natural hairstyles. Alta Mathews is a senior HR leader for a multi-national energy giant. Just a few years ago on days when she would break from the norm of wearing long extensions that reected a straight, Eurocentric hair style, she would receive passive-aggressive comments about how “exotic” her hair style was a subtle reminder that she was not wearing a corporately acceptable hairstyle. Today, she almost exclusively shows off her luxuriously nat-ural head of hair or braids and receives nothing but compliments for both. At least they have hair to braid… All genders struggle with hair loss. My “natural” look would be a half-bald head, and very white hair in the shape of a cul-de-sac. I manage it with a razor and a steady hand. For others, it’s creative comb-overs. But, for women, it’s a completely different issue, one that can challenge how feminine they feel. Laura Duksta, a New York Times best-selling author, lost all of her hair at the age of 11, to a condition called alopecia areata. She wore wigs for 19 long years, certain there was some-thing unacceptable and terribly wrong with her bald head. Shortly after having the idea for her rst book, I Love You More, she decided, as she put it, to “set my wigs and myself free,” having what became known as her “coming out party” as The Bald Chick. It was challenging at times with well-meaning older women saying, “You should wear a wig, honey,” being called “sir” by cashiers, or often being mistaken for a cancer patient. Slowly, as Duksta gained condence and learned to embrace her bald head, she found oth-ers did as well. She now sees that it was an opportunity to be and love herself. Once she did, she found people offering compliments about her strength and beauty. For Duksta, it’s been a lesson in authentic power. “When I wasn’t comfort-able with myself, people around me weren’t either. As I embraced my bald head and being myself, it became a non-issue, or a sign of strength, truth and beauty.”Several years ago, I wrote a similar ar-ticle about hairstyle and featured Harry Saluja. When I caught up with him for this article, he shared that the article and subsequent conversations got him comfortable with sharing his authentic self. So, he decided to open his beard, AND he has since received a promo-tion – open beard and all! It is indeed absurd in this day and age to be concerned about how someone chooses to wear their hair. We are pro-gressing, in part thanks to the internet, and there is hope that this will be a non-issue for future generations.As with any conversa-tion where there is hon-est curiosity and positive intent, it is okay to be direct. You can ask, “I’m curious about your hair/headpiece/turban/accent/culture. Are you comfort-able sharing? I understand if you’re not.” But if you’re feeling judgmental and thinking the other person is wrong because you don’t agree with how they present themselves, you may want to keep your thoughts and questions to yourself. Or if you are thinking that they cannot be successful because of how they physically show up, consider whether you are trying to save them from someone else’s biases… or your own. Perhaps it’s time to update the song lyrics to “Long-bearded, high performers need apply!” Lee Jourdan is Chevron’s former global chief diver-sity and inclusion ofcer and former vice president commercial and business development for Chevron’s IndoAsia and Asia South business units. He has been published by The Harvard Busi-ness Review, Washington Post, and in-terviewed by SHRM and Pulitzer Prize winner Daniel Yergin on DEI. Jourdan is co-author of From Shoeshine to Star Wars and was recognized by Business Insider in 2020 as one of 100 people transforming business in North Ameri-ca. Today, he is a director on the boards of PROS Holdings (NYSE: PRO) and the nonprot SEARCH Homeless Services, an advisory board member at Pulsely Inc., and Ally Energy, and a spe-cial advisor to FTI Consulting, author and keynote speaker. Laura DukstaAlta Matthews

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17Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comFEATURETalking About A RevolutionBY Yassmin Abdel-MagiedReleased as part of the 40th edition of The Grifth Review in April 2013, this was my rst formally published piece of work. I wrote it at [the] urging of the incredible Julianne Shultz, editor of the Review at the time, whom I served with on the Queensland Design Council. She saw in my 21-year-old self a storyteller, the potential of a writer, possibilities of a future inconceivable to me at the time. This essay came together in the morn-ings after 12-plus hour nights shifts, lying cross-legged on the rough pale blue sheets of my single bed in an ice cold donga, somewhere in outback Australia. “Show, don’t tell,” Julianne said to me at the time and, through draft after draft, I worked to try [to] show the world what it was to be a young, Sudanese engineer on rigs around Australia. Who knew it would be the be-ginning of an entirely new career? “You’re working on the rigs?” one of the drillers from my camp asked, his voice heavy with surprise. “We assumed you were just with the camp. Respect, hey, that’s awesome, we love having chicks actually on the rigs.”Another chimed in. “Yeah, that’s great. What do you do?”“I’m a service hand, a “measurement while drilling” specialist. You really think we’re really welcome here?” I asked.“Yeah! We need more of it.”Later that day, I had another conversation that challenged this view. Clearly women in the oil and gas industry are not universally welcomed. My rig manager was quite clear about his views: “I said nope, no, abso-lutely not. There was no way I was going to let a female be on my crew. Everyone agreed. Sean (the manager on the other shift) even said to me that if she was hired, he would quit.”The rig manager shrugged as he explained the reaction to a “lady” applying to be a leasehand on the rig – the lowest level job, responsible for cleaning and errands.“I just didn’t want to deal with the extra hassle that it would bring,” he said.I am the only woman on the 25-person rig in Central Western Queensland.Later that evening as I begin my regu-lar 12-hour night shift, I touch my iPod screen and select my current favorite anthem. In a ash Seal’s velvet voice rever-berates through the white earbuds. “This is a man’s, man’s world…”Accepting that your 21-year-old Muslim daughter is going to work on remote oil and gas rigs is not easy. I am fortunate to have parents who understand (although perhaps not always share) my interest in adventure and not being ordinary. Their view is simple: As long as the rules of Islam are followed and there is a coherent and benecial reason for me doing the things I choose, they will support me.My parents say they weren’t sure what to expect when they immigrated to Australia almost 20 years ago, eeing the oppres-sive political regime of Omar al-Bashir in Sudan. They may not have had a concrete idea of where it would lead, but I certainly inherited from them a willingness to seize opportunity and embark on adventures. That may explain how they found them-selves with a daughter who boxes, designs racing cars and, while visiting family in Sudan [in 2012], got wrapped up in an attempt to overthrow the same oppressive government that forced them to leave.They came to Australia looking for a new beginning; now they are parents of a female, Muslim rig hand.As part of my faith, I wear the hijab (headscarf), and have been doing so since I was 10, as a personal choice. It is truly something that has become a part of my identity, and I like to be amboyant and creative with colors and styles. My head covering on the rig is a little less obvious and obtrusive, the turban and bandana combination convenient to combine with the hardhat, and a little cooler. In true Australian fashion, however, religion is one topic that is fastidiously avoided on the rig, and people don’t always realize the signi-cance of my head covering. It makes for some interesting conversations.“So, when’s that tea cosy come off?”I turned around to my colleague and chuckled to myself.“Nah, it doesn’t come off, I was born with it, eh!”His jaw dropped slightly, and he looked at me in confusion. “Wha-a-?”I laughed out loud. “Nah, mate! It’s a religious thing. We call it a hijab, I guess this is the abbreviated hard-hat friendly version...”“Oh, yeah, righto…”

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18Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comFEATUREHe nodded, uncertain, then shrugged and went back to his meal.When I told my family at home, my father couldn’t get enough of it.“Let’s call you Tea Cosy now!”***I nd I am constantly asking myself the question: Does one adopt and accept the mannerisms of the rig to “t in,” and be-come “one of the boys,” not causing waves by accepting the status quo? Or should I, and other women, stick to our guns and demand change, that the men working in these isolated and testing environments change their culture and mannerisms in order to incorporate women?It is not easy to an-swer. My mother sat me down before I left for my rst “hitch” and gave me some advice. “Don’t forget, Yassmina, that you are not a boy, and you will never be “one of the boys.” At the end of the day, you are and will always be a woman, and a Muslim woman at that, so you must act like one and guard yourself.”At the time, the advice jarred. I had always been “one of the boys.” It was difcult to understand why this had to change now.The more I work in the eld, though, the more I realize that things are different. Being “one of the boys” may have been appropriate at univer-sity. In the eld, no matter what I do, my gender will never be forgotten. This was one of the reasons the rig manager refused to have women on his crews. “The guy that was pushing for this woman to be hired had hired his twin sister way back in the day on the rigs, so [he] had a soft spot for women on crews. He ended up having to re her, though, because she hooked up with another crewmember. What does that tell you?”We are faced not only with en-trenched attitudes within the industry of what women are capable of, but also individual preju-dices. In an industry where it seems every second man is going through or recovering from a divorce (partly due to the lifestyle), the cocktail of emotion and misunderstanding can be toxic. If I had a dollar for the number of times a cowork-er has said, part mirth and part seriousness – “All you damn women are the same” – I could probably retire.Even as I write this, I feel I should apolo-gize and add a disclaimer: Not all the oil and gas elds are like this.Or is this just me, explaining away behavior that is common on rigs so I don’t “rock the boat” or disturb the peace and become an unwanted entity? I haven’t been able to answer these questions yet. Working on the rigs has, however, allowed and forced me to reinterpret my understanding of what it means to be a strong woman.I was always one for doing things differ-ently, partly because I could, and partly because I just did what I wanted. Being the rst girl at a Christian ecumenical school, and the largest in Queensland, to wear the hijab when I started there in 2002 was pretty exciting. Being the rst woman in my company’s department in Australia was even better. I broke the bench press record for girls at school, topped the two male-dominated classes of graphics and technol-ogy studies (woodwork), and prided myself on being able to “hold my own among the men,” physically and in banter. Although I was proud to be a woman, I had always been even more proud of my “masculine” qualities. Perhaps this is what frustrated my mother the most.In the rigging world though, there is no mistaking the fact that I am a woman. I am not as strong as all the guys, though I can hold my own. I am not as foul-

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19Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comFEATUREmouthed, but I can come back with a quip to keep them quiet (or laughing, depending on the situation).“Gosh, you’ve got it pretty good, don’t you? You get your clothes washed, your bed made, your food cooked for you and, on top of that, your choice of 25 men! With no competition!” John, the campie, chortled as he opened the crib room door. “What more could a woman want, eh?”His lined, weather-beaten face ashed a grin, showing off his multiple silver llings as he left the shack. I shook my head slowly and laughed. What more indeed…This job has made me realize that it is actually okay to be a woman, and being “strong” doesn’t necessarily mean being “masculine.” It’s ironic that it has taken a world renowned for its toughness to make me appreciate my femininity.There is no doubt that it is a man’s world, but it is changing. Australia is lagging behind other countries; in Norway and Europe, women are much more routinely employed on rigs. How women change the eld or change ourselves to t in remains an unan-swered question, but it will be exciting.On another rig, I need to nd the amenities. “Are the loos work-ing?” I ask the leasehand in charge of keeping the rig clean.“Nah, they’re probably lthy. I haven’t been in there in ages, I just piss in the paddock!”I laughed as I walked towards the amenities shack.“Hover!” he yells faintly.Hover I did. As I push down the pedal of the portaloo and the stench wafts up, I shake my head and wonder: Why did I choose this job?But I do remember. I chose this job because I love a challenge, I love working in the eld, and I thrive on be-ing forced out of my comfort zone and into environments where I have to prove myself. If I manage to smash a few stereotypes along the way, so much the better.Excerpted with permission from the author. Talking About A Revolution by Yassmin Abdel-Magied from the chapter, “On the Rigs.” (Random House Australia; October 2022). This excerpt has been lightly edited and condensed.Yassmin Abdel-Magied is a Sudanese-born writer, broadcaster and former drilling engi-neer. Since her time offshore, the mechanical engineer has published four books, written two plays and is currently developing a num-ber of projects for screen. An award-winning speaker and globally sought-after advisor on engaging diverse communities in STEM and inclusive leadership, Abdel-Magied has deliv-ered keynotes and workshops in 25 countries in Arabic, English and a smattering of French. She founded her rst organization, Youth Without Borders, at the age of 16, leading it for nine years before co-founding two other organizations focused on serving women of color. Her TED talk, “What does my headscarf mean to you?” has been viewed over 2.5 million times and recognized as one of TED’s top 10 ideas. In all her work, Abdel-Magied is an advocate for transformative justice and a fairer, safer world for all. September 5, 2023

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22Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comPERSONAL TRANSITIONA Philosopher Turns From Kantian Ethics To Turning A Pipe Wrench By Sarah SmithI was the sole female in my industrial reghter class for Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s Catlettsburg Renery. When you’re the only woman, there’s always that extra self-imposed pressure to prove you belong. Imposter syndrome happily rears its head in a male-dominat-ed arena. Luckily, on the re eld there’s no time for self-doubt; there’s only time for action based on ingrained training and preparation. Facing a rapidly spread-ing re alongside my team, I gripped the hose, widened my stance, and leaned on my training. “You’ve got to watch each other’s backs. There’s ammable stuff in this renery. We’re not making Kool-Aid out here.” Sage words from a seasoned industrial reghter rang in my head as ignited propane screamed at a live-burn training in Texas. During my interview for the re and rescue team, another veteran reghter brusquely asked, “This team is a family. Why should I let you become part of my family?” My response must have been sufcient. I had made the team and was here to obtain my Industrial Fireghter 1 certication. I fervently hoped I wasn’t about to disappoint my new re family and myself. I muttered a prayer in my SCBA mask that I wouldn’t mess this up. “Please, God, don’t let me be the weak-est link.”I didn’t “fall-out” during that rst week of Industrial Fire 1 training at Texas A&M. Maybe all those years running and rock climbing nally paid off, or maybe it’s just harder to overheat in your bunker gear when you’re only ve feet four inches tall. It has been several years since that initial haze of self-doubt was smothered like ammable vapors under reghting foam. I am an employee of Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC). I am a proud union member of USW Lo-cal-8-00719 and work as a loader within the blending and shipping department of MPC’s Catlettsburg Renery in East-ern Kentucky. At this renery, I also volunteer on our re and rescue team and serve as the only woman on the special operations rescue team. Our renery, nestled near the juncture of three states, is a nexus where river, road and rail meet. With an uncharacteristic look of earnestness, a seasoned worker once described blending and shipping to me as “the heart of the renery.” That comparison can’t be over-stated. We’re the interconnected organ ty-ing together process units of the renery and our customers. The blending and Photos courtesy of Steve Bevis Photography

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23Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comPERSONAL TRANSITIONshipping department is the nal step before our multitude of products leave the renery and depart toward our downstream consumers. Like the roads, rivers and rails that lead to the Catlettsburg Renery, I have cut my own path to this career and a place in my community. I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philoso-phy and now nd myself happily enmeshed in the blue-collar world of petroleum product loading. How does a philosopher turn from Kantian ethics to turning a pipe wrench? At the heart of philoso-phy is a deep desire for knowledge. The word itself hearkens back to Greek roots meaning “love of wisdom.” I suppose it’s this thirst for learning new things that led me to the oil industry. Not to be limited by a degree in an overly pedantic eld, I also studied the sciences. I continued my education and ultimately gained laboratory experience in a microbiology lab as well as eld experience with West Virginia’s Department of Envi-ronmental Protection watershed assessment branch. This experi-ence, coupled with undergraduate and graduate level classes, landed me my rst temporary assignment at Marathon Petroleum Company’s Rening and Analytical Division in the Environmental department. It is there that I began my foray into the petrochemical world by obtaining prociency in various forms of waste-water testing. My laboratory work was dotted with excursions into the seemingly Breaking the Gas Ceiling: Women in the Offshore Oil & Gas Industry by Rebecca Ponton | Foreword by Marie-José NadeauThe international petroleum industry has long been known the world over as a “good old boys' club” and nowhere is the oil and gas industry's gender imbalance more apparent than offshore. The untold story, shared in these pages, is about the women who have been among the rst to inhabit this world, and whose stories previously have been a missing part of the history of the industry.Available from www.breakingthegasceiling.com or on Amazon “As a CEO, I believe it is imperative for today’s generation of young women to realize there is a seat for them in the boards of oil & gas companies as the “gas ceiling” can be broken quicker and easier than before. Reading this book, they will think about these women who have gone before them and broken down those barriers in order to give them new opportunities.-- Maria Moræus Hanssen, CEO, DEA Deutsche Erdoel AG“My belief is that diversity is key to both creativity and solid long-term business results. Even in a country like Norway, where professional gender diversity is greater than in any other country I have had interactions with, we have an underrepresentation of women in top management positions. I would therefore like to express my appreciation to Rebecca Ponton for keeping this important subject on the agenda by presenting to us positive, impressive and, at the same time, obtainable role models.-- Grethe K. Moen, CEO & President, Petoro AS“Everyone needs role models – and role models that look like you are even better. For women, the oil and gas industry has historically been pretty thin on role models for young women to look up to. Rebecca Ponton has provided an outstanding compilation of role models for all women who aspire to success in one of the most important industries of modern times.-- Dave Payne, Chevron VP Drilling & Completions“Rebecca Ponton has captured the compelling stories of many women, both the early pathnders in the oil and gas industry and new entrants. Through these stories, it is very satisfying to now see that the industry has matured to be a place where anyone – man or woman – who commits themselves to high performance can succeed. No doubt we are all the beneciaries of these intrepid women who have dened themselves by their work ethic and commitment.-- Greta Lydecker, Managing Director, Chevron Upstream EuropeContinued on next page...

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24Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comPERSONAL TRANSITIONlabyrinthian Catlettsburg Renery for NESHAPS sample collection. Pockets of steam shrouded gargantuan stacks as pipe racks snaked through a mineeld of tanks and processing equipment. I was a long way from discussing Hei-degger and Plato but felt right at home doing what any philosopher does best: learning and asking LOTS of questions. When my temporary assignment blos-somed into full-time employment in the analytical division’s asphalt certi-cation lab, I was ecstatic. I was soon entrenched in the world of asphalt binder testing and certication, a myriad of tests on which to qualify and gain mastery. From ductility testing to tackling the dynamic shear rheometer, the asphalt lab held a veritable treasure-trove of new things to learn. Eventual-ly an opening occurred in the environ-mental department where I had gotten my start and I leapt on the opportunity. Now a seasoned laboratory technician, I became familiar with the nuances of volatile organics testing using a GC/mass spec. I was offered the chance to assist our eld services team and got a glimpse of different terminals and reneries via stack and VRU testing. After several years, I took a leap deep-er into the renery where I now deal with the loading and off-loading of propane, butane and other products. I still remember when the Catlettsburg Renery seemed a confusing pipe-bedecked behemoth to a girl collecting water samples. As I gain prociency in the different loading jobs, and see more areas with the re and rescue team, the once vast expanse is slowly becoming familiar.These days you can locate me tighten-ing a Marshall tting on top of a railcar or managing propane tank inventory at the truck rack. I enjoy the challenge of meeting daily targets with my fam-ily of coworkers while continuing to learn. In the oil industry, I have not only found a career, but I am proud to work for a company willing to invest in further education, a company striving to diversify and welcome women into this workforce. I heartily recommend a career in our industry for any woman with a desire to learn and grow. Here at Catlettsburg, I may sometimes be the only female in the room, but I’m not just the token woman. I’m a member of the blending and shipping team. I’m a part of the re and rescue family. I’m a self-empowered philosopher with a pipe wrench realizing her goal of lifelong learning.Sarah Smith is a loader in the blending and shipping/products control department at Marathon Petroleum’s Catlettsburg Renery. She resides in Genoa, West Virginia, and holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Marshall University (Huntington, WV). She is married to her husband Derek and has two dogs and four horses. Her hobbies include rock climbing and motorcycling. Smith is a proud member of the USW Local-8-00719. She annually attends re training at Texas A&M in Col-lege Station. She is an Industrial Fire Fighter 2, EMT, and Rope Rescue Technician, who volunteers on the Catlettsburg Renery re depart-ment team. Smith has not only found a satisfying career but is proud to work for a company willing to invest in further education, and one that strives to diversify and welcome women into this workforce.

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26Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comDISABILITIESIn Conversation with Paul Jones, TWI Ltd. By Angela McKane I have known Paul for four years now, as he and his team at The Welding Insti-tute (TWI) have provided an invaluable service to us here at bp. I recently chatted with Paul on a number of topics, and I am glad to share some of his story below. Angela McKane: Hi Paul, it is great to speak today! I wondered if you could share a little on the work you do at TWI? Paul Jones: TWI is a membership-based research and technology organiza-tion, specializing in how components and structures are joined or welded, and how those joints perform in-service. Many of the big oil and gas players are members, as are their major supply chain companies. I manage a team that provides information and knowl-edge services to our members and to our technical staff of materials scientists, structural integrity and manufacturing engineers. We maintain a huge archive of papers, standards, journals and more, going right back to the ‘30s, and we use those records every day, often for investi-gative purposes and problem solving. For example, TWI performs many failure investigations often involving aging structures such as bridges. Such cases are often safety critical and in order to provide a member with the best advice possible on why the failure occurred, our engineers need reference to the welding standards, materials specications and literature of the day.Over the years, I’ve performed a few dif-ferent roles at TWI, including leading on project management, business develop-ment and knowledge transfer initiatives and my current role, which I’ve held since 2017. My team are experts in search, something that you may think is an anomaly given how readily information is available now, yet it’s this very saturation that requires intelligent mediation and ltering so that our engineers can provide advice based on complete, unbiased and trustworthy sources.We provide evidence from the published literature to substantiate (or challenge!) a subject matter expert’s stated hypothesis or point of view. AM: at sounds really interesting, and there must be a lot to learn each day. What was the path that led you to this role? PJ: Well, the journey began when I studied history at Aberystwyth University, and my dissertation was focused on the American Civil War, which prompted my passion for information and knowl-edge, not least as it involved squirreling away into the archive of Congressional Records held in the University Library. I ended up pursuing a postgrad MSc with the University as well. I worked at Shell, and then at Enron, before then join-ing TWI. Oh, and I had two wonderful daughters along the way as well – they are both now in their 20s and living life to the full!AM: I’m sure there are so many stories from each of these steps in life’s jour-ney so far! However, Paul, if you are comfortable, please could you share a little on the medical diagnosis that you received? PJ: In 2012, at the age of 44, I was di-agnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. I rst noticed my symptoms because back then I used to run a lot, and I started to notice that afterwards my shoulder would go into a spasm. At rst, I visited a physio-therapist but, when this didn’t alleviate the symptoms, I went to the doctor who promptly referred me to a neurologist, and they diagnosed me almost immedi-ately. Parkinson’s is a degenerative neurological condition, where your dopamine-produc-ing neurons come under attack from pro-teins in the brain. Dopamine controls all kinds of things: mood, ne motor skills, movement and more. I am on medica-tion, but all the meds can do is mask the symptoms. There is currently no cure for Parkinson’s nor is there anything we know of – as yet – that can slow or stop its progression. There is work going into cell therapy (which could potentially be a cure in the future), but there is also research going into repurposing existing drugs currently used for other things, but which have been found to possibly have benets for treating Parkinson’s. A key one at the moment is the Ambroxol trial. Ambroxol is a commonly used ingredient in cough mixture which has shown some potential promise to slow or stop the progression of Parkinson’s. In my case, the symptoms I have are “non-motor symptoms,” which means I don’t have visible tremors and so on, as some people with Parkinson’s do. For me, fatigue is one of the most chal-lenging symptoms that I need to contend with. It can really hit me at short notice and often reduces the efcacy of the medication.However, when I rst received my diagnosis, I didn’t really know what Parkinson’s was. It was only later when I looked it up that I began to feel upset at the prospect of living with this. I spent some time thinking and dwelling on it, Paul Jones with daughters in Berlin.

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27Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comDISABILITIESand eventually arrived at the realization that I was not going to be able to change it. I had no choice – other than a choice in terms of how to react. Choosing my reaction allowed me to feel that I was taking back some of the control; in fact, it liberated me. I found reserves of resil-ience that I didn’t even know I had. In the years since then I have really learned to live so much more in the moment. Each day is about: What can I do today? Of course, sometimes I have good days and bad days but, on the whole, I really feel that stepping up to meet this has made me a better person. I am more condent in my ability to handle what life throws at me. I am more open to taking calculated risks with the sense of perspective on life that this has given me. AM: Paul, I really admire this. Do you think others feel this way, too? Do you know anyone else with Parkinson’s? PJ: Oh, I sure do. There’s a bunch of us around, partly as neurological conditions are on the rise because we are all living longer (though I was diagnosed young for Parkinson’s). There are two main research organiza-tions in the U.K. – Cure Parkinson’s and Parkinson’s U.K. [Editor’s note: In the U.S., there are the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Par-kinson’s Research.] There’s the World Parkinson Congress every three years. This year it will be in Barcelona, Spain, from July 4th through the 7th. Think of hundreds of Parkies out on the razz! I’ve made so many friends through this and they are the strongest and grittiest people I’ve met.As to whether we are all in the same place, mindset-wise, I think it can be tricky especially when newly diagnosed. For that reason, I volunteer, provid-ing orientation to those who have just received the news.AM: I think that’s really beautiful that you “give back” in that way. Is there any advice that you give to those newly diagnosed? PJ: One of the things is learning to know yourself and learning to live with Parkinson’s in a way that is right for you. Diet and exercise are really important, but it is also just learning to know the little subtle signals your body can send you to let you know to take a break and rest, or to top up your meds. For example, I have learned that I am at my most active and energetic in two daily phases, typically between 6 a.m. and midday, and 4 to 8 p.m. So, I structure my work around this. I have a friend with Parkinson’s and she is the opposite – quite the nightingale while I am a lark! Continued on next page...

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28Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comDISABILITIESAM: Aha! ere’s a message for em-ployers here, too, I think. PJ: Oh, yes. You know, through this I’ve realized how important work is for us as humans to meet our social interaction needs in particular. Talking together, sharing ideas, building trust and con-nections – we need and benet from these things as humans. I hold a particular interest in how we craft a sense of belong-ing in our organizations, and how we maintain the value of serendipitous “by the water cooler” type conversations in a more hybrid working envi-ronment. There are important things to think about in terms of effective knowledge sharing and organizational culture as well. And, at the same time, it is tremendous-ly important for employers to realize that we are not all built the same, and indeed we each have different respon-sibilities that can pull on us in different stages in our lives. So, exibility around working hours for roles where this is possible is a big win for employers in being able to attract or retain valuable employees with disabilities – after all, we can become disabled at any point in our working lives. Disabled people have so much to offer employers and teams with the perspective we can bring from what we have learned through rising to the challenge of meeting a difcult diagnosis and managing it accordingly. Organizations must also meet challeng-es thrown their way and course correct in response; we have honed the skills in how to do this. I feel fortunate that TWI excels at this. We have an in-house occupational nurse and the organization re-ally has been very supportive. AM: I’m glad, and as it should be! Paul, thank you so much for sharing your story today. What’s next for you? PJ: At this moment in time, I am going to be moving house and, being in my mid-50s, am beginning to think about where I want to be when it’s time to wind down full-time work. I nd my-self thinking, where shall I go, with the world as my oyster?! AM: I wish you all the very best for the next chapter and the adventures yet to come, Paul! ank you for sharing your story and showing that disabled employees in our engineering sector bring resilience, vulnerability, empa-thy and the ability to adapt – strong skills for business and for helping nd the path to get the world to net zero. PJ: Agreed! Thank you, Ange. Connect on LinkedIn with Paul Jones and Angela McKane.Angela McKane joined bp in 2008, rst taking up a role in digital security and then holding a num-ber of technology related roles over the years, during which time she grew a global team before being ap-pointed VP in 2020. She has built and delivered a powerful insights capability for the organization (digital platform and analyst offer), curated a weekly tech brieng consumed by thousands of staff, spoken at world-leading industry conferences including CERAweek and, most recently, she founded bp’s Disability Network with a stated mis-sion to unlock disabled entrepreneurial talent, in order to contribute to solving the energy trilemma. McKane asserts that disabled people have a compelling offer for organizations in this regard, due to a honed ability to overcome obstacles and to nd a different path to an end goal than any default path-way that has been presented as the most obvious. She seeks to showcase examples of this talent in action in this column with Oilwoman Magazine.

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32Oilwoman Magazine / May-June 2023 / OilwomanMagazine.comIn the United Kingdom, the year 1977 marks the celebration of Queen Eliza-beth II’s Silver Jubilee, as well as the birth of her rst grandchild… The U.K. holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the rst time… British Aerospace is launched to run the aviation industry, which has been nationalized… English tennis player Virginia Wade wins the Women’s Singles title at Wimbledon.Across the North Sea in Norway, Gro Harlem Brundtland, who would go on to become the country’s rst female prime minister in 1981, is rst elected to the Storting, where 24 percent of the Ministers of Parliament (MPs) are women… beloved children’s author Anne-Cath Vestley’s Eight Children series is adapted for lm… The rst uncontrolled blowout on the Norwe-gian Continental Shelf (NCS) occurs on the Ekosk Bravo platform, laying the groundwork for strict safety and regula-tory guidelines.And 1977 is the year most accounts say women began working offshore in the North Sea. Oil had rst been discovered in commercial quantities in the North Sea in 1969 in the Ekosk eld in the Norwegian sector, and it was a surpris-ingly short time later when women began joining their male counterparts offshore, although in very few numbers, something which holds true to this day.Norwegian nurses, Svanhild D. Rolfsen and Marit Høiland, became some of the rst – if not the rst – women to work offshore in August of 1977 when they received permanent appointments in the Frigg eld, where forward-thinking Elf had designed platform accommodations for female employees, a luxury not many women had in those early days.Jane Whaley graduated from Bristol University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science in Geology, and went offshore for Decca Survey in November of that year. She eventually joined GEO ExPro in 2004, becoming editor in chief from 2010 to 2021. Whaley continues her work as a freelance energy writer, along with her role as a trustee for the inde-pendent charity, Citizen’s Advice, Stroud and Cotswold District, in the U.K.Norwegian Anne Grete Ellingsen earned a Master of Science in Petro-leum Technology from the University of Stavanger and is widely recognized as the rst female offshore installation manager (OIM) in the North Sea. She would go on to become the deputy minister for the Petroleum and Energy Ministry of Norway from 1990 to 1992. Ellingsen was named CEO of GCE NODE in 2013, a role she held until 2019. In 2017, she became the rst Nor-wegian and only the third woman to be inducted into the Offshore Energy Cen-ter Hall of Fame in Galveston, Texas. Englishwoman Ann Cairns began her career as a research engineer for British Gas and is known as the rst female engineer in the North Sea, but called herself “one of the lads.” The holder of a pure mathematics degree (as well as a master’s and two honorary doctorates), she later moved into nance, another male-dominated industry. Cairns joined Mastercard in 2011 and rose to execu-tive vice chair, a role she held until Janu-ary of this year. She is now board chair for the Financial Alliance for Women.We celebrate these brave and adventur-ous women, who were some of the rst to work offshore in the North Sea, and are among the very small number of women ever to have done so. With the percentage of women in the offshore workforce holding steady at ~3.7 per-cent, they occupy a special place in the history of the oil and gas industry in the North Sea. NORTH SEA PIONEERSGo North, Young Woman By Rebecca Ponton

Oilwoman Magazine May/June 2023

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