Oilfield 360 Podcast

How do you turn a startup launched during a downturn into a major oilfield technology success story?

On this episode of The Oilfield 360 podcast, hosts David de Roode and Victoria Beard Queen sit down with Neal Lux, CEO of Forum Energy Technologies (and TV Star - Landman appearance), to discuss his path from co-founding Global Tubing to leading FET today.

Lux shares insights on scaling a coil tubing startup, the Smart Taper innovation that improved weld fatigue life, and how technologies like subsea robotics and remote ROV operations are shaping the future of oilfield services. 

00:00 Why Oil and Gas Matters
00:36 Podcast and Sponsors
03:48 Meet Neal Lux
04:54 From Consulting to Maverick
07:55 Joining a Risky Startup
11:30 Global Tubing Early Struggles
13:37 Culture and Innovation
15:29 Coil Tubing Explained
17:54 Smart Taper Breakthrough
19:13 Designing for Long Wells
21:16 Beyond Intervention Use Cases
23:22 Partnering with Operators
25:33 Why They Bought Eagle
26:12 Joining the Forum Family
27:04 Leadership Under Chris
27:49 COVID Debt Turning Point
28:32 What FET Does Today
30:17 FET 2030 Growth Plan
33:10 Landman TV Cameo
37:02 Subsea Robotics Innovation
39:38 Lessons From Mistakes
41:52 Life Outside Work
45:13 CEO Reality Check
48:34 Investor Story and Value
50:21 NYSE Texas Listing

How do you transform an oilfield services giant into a power generation powerhouse?

Gravity CEO Rob Rice joins David de Roode and Victoria Beard Queen to reveal the "behind-the-scenes" of his company’s massive evolution.

From his days as an Air Force flight test engineer to leading multi-million dollar divestitures, Rice explains why the future of the field is not in water or chemicals, but in standardized 400 kW natural gas generators.

Tune in to find out!

00:36 Podcast Mission And Sponsors
01:59 Host Banter And Industry Events
03:39 Meet Rob Rice
03:54 Louisiana Roots And Air Force
05:46 First Rig Trip Spark
07:25 Early Career Texas Eastern
08:51 Enron And Overseas Work
11:28 Hanover To Archrock Leadership
14:41 Air Force Flying Stories
16:26 Gravity Origin And Reshaping
20:23 Power Rental Market Focus
26:11 Reliability Data Centers And Service
29:18 Strategic Partner Role
30:52 Looking Ahead For Gravity
31:01 Growth and Diversification
32:13 Company Size and COVID Reset
33:49 Remote Work and Tech Shifts
35:43 Deal Prep and Data Rooms
38:32 Motivating Teams Through Change
41:59 Professionalism First Impressions
45:24 Career Choices in Energy
49:10 Mentors and Paying It Forward
50:15 Life Outside the CEO Role
52:21 Crawfish and Louisiana Roots
54:51 Final Advice and Wrap Up

Can nuclear power be deployed as easily as a shipping container?

In this episode of Oilfield 360, hosts David de Roode and Victoria Beard Queen sit down with Bobby Gallagher, CEO of Deployable Energy, to discuss how his experience in offshore drilling led to innovations in both well safety and nuclear energy.

From a millisecond-response blowout preventer concept to containerized microreactors designed to run for five years without refueling, Gallagher explains how factory-built nuclear systems could transform energy supply for remote grids, maritime operations, and critical infrastructure.

They also explore nuclear’s regulatory hurdles, global competition, and why building the next generation of energy infrastructure will require both engineering and leadership.

00:36 Podcast And Sponsors
01:59 Back In Houston Banter
03:28 Meet Bobby Gallagher
03:57 From Military To Oilfield
04:56 Korea Shipyard Boom
07:19 Service And 9 11
10:50 Pyro BOP Breakthrough
15:47 Starting Deployable Energy
17:31 One Megawatt Container Reactor
19:06 Factory Build And Logistics
21:55 Fuel Choice And Scaling
27:00 LEU Vs HALEU Explained
29:47 Supply Constraints Strategy
30:58 Energy Poverty and Portability
32:31 Oilfield Tech Inspiration
34:17 Houston as Build Hub
35:52 Maritime Nuclear Use Cases
37:21 Island Grids and Soft Power
39:42 China Russia Nuclear Race
44:10 Scaling Manufacturing in Houston
45:11 Hiring for Character
46:14 Mentors and Resilience
49:23 Family Life and Sports
50:07 Cycling Career and Crashes
53:02 Martial Arts and Humility
56:03 Closing Wisdom and Farewell

From Shale to Steam: Can geothermal scale like oil & gas?
Recorded live at the Baker Hughes Annual Meeting, Fervo Energy CEO Tim Latimer joins the Oilfield 360 podcast to explain why geothermal is the new "Shale 3.0."
Tim breaks down how Eagle Ford drilling techniques are unlocking 500MW of carbon-free power at Project Cape, the impact of high-temp well design on drilling speed, and why the best leaders still know how to "stop and smell the roses."
A sharp look at how oilfield innovation is defining the future of baseload energy!

0:00 Why Oil & Gas Still Matters
02:00 Live in Italy + Tim Intro (Fervo Energy)
04:30 The Geothermal Spark
07:45 Enhanced Geothermal Explained
10:02 Finding the Temperature Sweet Spot
13:50 Building Fervo
18:18 Funding Hard Tech
23:07 “Shale 3.0”
27:22 Leadership & Culture
30:10 Preventing Burnout
35:05 Partnering with Baker Hughes
41:18 Scaling to 500MW
43:09 Decline Rates & Well Spacing
46:24 Faster Drilling in Hot Granite
48:37 Fatherhood & Advice
53:15 Wrap-Up

How do you manage $4B+ in revenue while staying close to customers in 120 countries?

At the Baker Hughes Annual Meeting in Florence, hosts David de Roode and Victoria Beard Queen sit down with Tayo Akinokun, SVP of Global Geozones, to explore his 34+ year journey from Nigeria to global leadership.

He shares why the company shifted from eight regions to 16 geo zones to get closer to customers, how he manages global complexity, and how Baker Hughes is “rewriting the energy equation” through integrated energy solutions.

00:00 Why Oil and Gas Matters
00:37 Podcast Mission and Sponsors
01:59 Live from Baker Hughes Italy
04:18 Early Exposure and Youth Service
06:04 Family Background and Career Choice
08:13 Favorite Country UAE
09:19 What Are Geo Zones
11:12 Leading a Global Team
13:06 Culture and Consistency Worldwide
17:20 Rewriting the Energy Equation
19:27 Supply Chain and Synergies
21:03 Where Baker Hughes Focuses
22:46 Entering New Regions
24:00 Career Path and Taking Risks
25:20 Field Life Inspiration
26:54 Taking Career Risks
27:40 Algeria Safety Reality
29:27 Nomadic Family Moves
31:09 Kids Global Advantage
35:52 Leadership Development
38:01 Mentors In Nigeria
39:42 Purpose And Balance
43:27 Dedication To Success
44:10 Final Thanks And Wrap