Putting the finishing touches on our December issue and, with it, another year, the phrase "what a difference a year makes" comes to mind. The first full week in January saw the Europe Brent Spot price start at $106.71, while Cushing WTI Spot price started that same week at $93.12. As I write this in late November, the last Brent price recorded by the EIA was $76.86, while WTI stood at $75.64. Prices have tumbled and the gap between Brent and WTI has narrowed, but prices have not altered the community-mindedness of companies in the oil and gas space. Commitment to community was as strong as ever, and I had the pleasure of showcasing the ways in which various companies and individuals contributed to those around them.
Supporting future generations was a cause championed by many this year. Overseas, BHP Billiton and Engineering Without Borders (EWB) took action to support students in sustainable development. University students across Australia and New Zealand have the opportunity to learn more about sustainable development and the concepts of humanitarian engineering through university courses, events, and scholarships. The partnership came on the heels of BHP's A$1 million donation to support the redevelopment of The Australian War Memorial's First World War galleries.
Expanding on its program designed to close the gender gap between students choosing studies in science, engineering, and technology, GE Oil & Gas launched its GirlsGetSET initiative in the North East of Scotland. The five-year program targets female students aged 9-13 in an effort to raise awareness of the wide range of career opportunities available in the fields of science, engineering, and technology.
Here in the US, a multitude of industry-related support helped West Virginia University surpass its original goal for its "A State of Minds" campaign. Thanks, in part, to Dominion Resources, Chesapeake Energy, Robinson & McElwee, the American Gas Association, and J. Wayne Richards (president and CEO of Houston-based GR Energy Services), the university exceeded its $750 million target one full year ahead of schedule.
Lackawanna College, a private, two-year college in northeastern Pennsylvania, opened its School of Petroleum & Natural Gas in 2009 at the beginning of the Marcellus Shale boom to offer curriculum to meet the specific needs of the growing industry. In support of the college's mission, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. and Williams provided gifts to the school. In April, Cabot gifted $2.5 million to the college and Williams donated a glycol dehydrator, $10,000 to cover the costs of acquiring and installing the necessary controllers, regulators, valves and piping, as well as $2,500 for a PNG student scholarship.
In Texas, three new state-of-the-art laboratories opened at the University of Texas at Austin,thanks to a $1.7 million gift from Baker Hughes. Including the lab projects, Baker Hughes has invested close to $3 million with the university through various training, education, and research projects.
Also in Texas, various donations helped open the new $22.8 million Terry Fuller Petroleum Engineering Research Building's cluster of laboratories at Texas Tech University. The new building and laboratories are named after Texas Tech alum and long-time donor Terry Fuller. Fuller, president and founder of Phoenix PetroCorp., and his wife Linda, also a graduate of Texas Tech, were major contributors to the cost of the building. Within the building are laboratories, as well as teaching and research areas named for various corporate donors including Anadarko, Apache, Chevron, LINN Energy, Oxy, and Pioneer Natural Resources. A space named for Michael Herd, vice president of Herd Producing Co., can also be found. A $1.25 million donation from IHS gives Tech engineering students access to IHS Petra®, a software tool used for geological, engineering, and petrophysical analysis.
Helping children of a younger set were EnQuest and MicroSeismic Inc. Aberdeen-based EnQuest teamed up with Scottish golfing legends Paul Lawrie and Bernard Gallacher during its annual charity golf day in an effort to boost funds raised for the Paul Lawrie Foundation, a UK-based charity aimed at getting children involved in sports. Additionally, EnQuest continued its support of Aberdeen charity, Archway, and Tullos Primary School.
Here in Houston, a number of children received the gift of hearing thanks to a $50,000 donation by oilfield services provider MicroSeismic Inc. The gift helped Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital and the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at UTHealth Medical School provide hearing aids to pediatric patients that may otherwise have been unable to pay for them.
Looking to help improve the lives of children and adults living with muscular dystrophy, Western Refining, through its association with the Muscular Dystrophy Association, raised $370,053 from its 2014 "Make A Muscle, Make A Difference®" mobile campaign.
And last but not least, 2014 was the year The United Way of Greater Houston named Bobby Tudor, chairman and CEO of Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Company LLC, as this year's recipient of the Robert W. Kneebone Volunteer of the Year Award. The award is the highest honor given to a United Way volunteer in recognition of extraordinary leadership and commitment to community service.
A big 'thank you' to all who continue to champion for the communities in which you serve. I look forward to the possibilities that come with the start of a new year.
Mikaila Adams | Managing Editor - News
Mikaila Adams has 20 years of experience as an editor, most of which has been centered on the oil and gas industry. She enjoyed 12 years focused on the business/finance side of the industry as an editor for Oil & Gas Journal's sister publication, Oil & Gas Financial Journal (OGFJ). After OGFJ ceased publication in 2017, she joined Oil & Gas Journal and was named Managing Editor - News in 2019. She holds a degree from Texas Tech University.
